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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. mark — a trace
  6. sharp — clever
  7. firm — steady
  8. vault — a safe
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. row — a line
  12. kid — to tease
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. mark — a grade
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. row — to paddle
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. firm — a company
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. firm — decided

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