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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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. drill — army training
  3. tear — from crying
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. drill — the tool
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. mine — for digging
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. vault — a safe
  12. drill — a practice
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. tear — to rip
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. wake — a trail
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. tear — from crying
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. leaves — to go away

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