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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. track — a path
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. clip — to cut
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bulb — for light
  9. vault — a safe
  10. track — a song
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bulb — for light
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. clip — for paper
  18. clip — a video
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. track — to keep track
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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