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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. craft — a skill
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. craft — boats
  11. vault — a safe
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lean — thin
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. scale — in music
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. scale — size or range
  24. lie — an untruth

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