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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.

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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — of a word
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — the underground
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. press — newspapers
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. swing — in golf
  13. swing — to play on
  14. swing — music
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. root — the cause
  17. press — to push
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. sharp — clever
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. press — a publisher
  23. tube — a container
  24. patient — a sick person

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