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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. key — in music
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. squash — the sport
  9. kid — child
  10. rash — a series
  11. key — the most important part
  12. shower — rain
  13. key — for a lock
  14. rash — hasty
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. shower — to wash
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. squash — to crush
  21. stand — to bear
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. kid — to tease

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