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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 116 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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. plane — a tool
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. charge — electricity
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. pass — a permit
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. vault — a safe
  18. kick — in football
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. charge — in control
  24. safe — a strongbox

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