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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — the fruit
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. saw — the tool
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. vault — a safe
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. tube — the underground
  16. craft — a skill
  17. saw — the tool
  18. craft — boats
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. tube — a container
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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