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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. vault — a safe
  3. wind — moving air
  4. object — a thing
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bat — the animal
  8. object — to protest
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. pop — music
  12. object — an aim
  13. pop — to visit
  14. bulb — for light
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bulb — for light
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. wind — moving air
  24. pop — soda

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