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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. cell — a phone
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. vault — a safe
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. cell — in biology
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. snap — to click
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. deal — to handle
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. trunk — of a car
  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