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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — a safe
  6. file — a tool
  7. craft — boats
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. craft — a skill
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. file — a document

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