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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. scale — in music
  4. bat — the animal
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. bore — to tire
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. staff — employees
  15. vault — a safe
  16. bore — to drill
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. staff — a stick
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mine — for digging
  22. staff — employees
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. bore — gave birth

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