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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fan · safe · wound · hide · kick · vault · object · current

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. object — a thing
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. object — to protest
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. current — of water
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. current — electric
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. vault — a safe
  16. wound — an injury
  17. current — happening now
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. wound — an injury
  22. object — an aim
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. kick — in football

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