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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. wind — moving air
  5. craft — boats
  6. wind — moving air
  7. staff — a stick
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. staff — employees
  11. vault — a safe
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. field — a subject
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. field — farmland
  18. craft — a skill
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. field — for sport
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. staff — employees
  24. rush — hurry

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