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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. vault — a safe
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wake — a trail
  12. track — a song
  13. spring — the season
  14. spring — a coil
  15. foot — a measure
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. track — to keep track
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. spring — of water
  24. track — a path

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