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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 116 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. scale — in music
  3. cap — of ice
  4. content — the amount
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. bass — the fish
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. content — happy
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cell — in biology
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bass — low music
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. scale — size or range
  20. cap — a hat
  21. vault — a safe
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cell — a phone

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