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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. spell — letters
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. track — a path
  7. track — to keep track
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. roll — a list
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — clever
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. track — a song
  18. roll — a cake
  19. spell — a short time
  20. object — to protest
  21. vault — a safe
  22. spell — magic
  23. object — an aim
  24. object — a thing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com