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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 didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. pass — a permit
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bat — the animal
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. vault — a safe
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. ball — a great time
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. field — for sport
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. field — farmland
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. field — a subject

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