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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. snap — to click
  3. stock — goods
  4. vault — a safe
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. object — to protest
  7. stock — shares
  8. sharp — clever
  9. row — to paddle
  10. mate — a partner
  11. object — a thing
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. mate — a friend
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. mate — to breed
  19. object — an aim
  20. row — a line
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. safe — out of danger

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