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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. firm — decided
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. firm — steady
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — a safe
  10. rest — what's left
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. bear — the animal
  15. net — for catching
  16. bear — the animal
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. net — in sport
  21. firm — a company
  22. rest — what's left
  23. net — after costs
  24. straw — a straw man

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