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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. file — a line of people
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. file — a tool
  11. file — a document
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bat — the animal
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. vault — a safe
  17. last — final
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. last — to go on
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. last — finally
  23. bulb — for light
  24. coach — a trainer

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