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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 116 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. track — a song
  3. vault — a safe
  4. ground — crushed
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. dip — to sink
  7. field — a subject
  8. track — a path
  9. race — a contest
  10. bulb — for light
  11. field — for sport
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bulb — for light
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. track — to keep track
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. race — humankind
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. race — the arms race
  21. ground — the earth
  22. ground — a position
  23. field — farmland
  24. dip — to dunk

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