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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. object — a thing
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. vault — a safe
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. tear — from crying
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. tear — to rip
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. object — an aim
  16. chest — a box
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. chest — of your body
  19. saw — the tool
  20. chest — of your body
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. saw — the tool
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. tear — from crying

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