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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. game — wild animals
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. vault — a safe
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. shower — to wash
  11. game — a match
  12. press — to push
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. swing — music
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. press — newspapers
  18. toast — bread
  19. swing — in golf
  20. wake — a trail
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. swing — to play on
  24. press — a publisher

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