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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. firm — decided
  3. pound — a weight
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. key — for a lock
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. present — there
  8. firm — steady
  9. key — the most important part
  10. present — the time now
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. vault — a safe
  16. firm — a company
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. present — a gift
  19. key — in music
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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