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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 120 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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. craft — boats
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pound — a weight
  6. chip — to eat
  7. scale — in music
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. scale — size or range
  14. rest — a break
  15. chip — for betting
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. craft — a skill
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. vault — a safe
  20. hand — help
  21. hand — in cards
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. craft — a handicraft

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