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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 120 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 was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. present — there
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. fine — all right
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. race — humankind
  10. fine — high quality
  11. vault — a safe
  12. rash — a series
  13. present — a gift
  14. race — the arms race
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. race — a contest
  18. bat — the animal
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rash — hasty
  24. present — the time now

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