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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. rule — a law
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. hand — help
  10. ground — the earth
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. hand — in cards
  14. ground — crushed
  15. rule — government
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. vault — a safe
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. ground — a position
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. stand — on your feet

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