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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — a safe
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. fall — to drop
  9. saw — the tool
  10. branch — a division
  11. stand — to bear
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. ground — a position
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. ground — crushed
  18. ground — the earth
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. fall — to drop
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. fall — the season
  24. branch — of a bank

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