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

Word bank: vault · mug · safe · cabinet · land · kid · arm · root

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mug — a face
  6. vault — a safe
  7. kid — child
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. kid — to tease
  11. mug — to rob
  12. root — the cause
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. mug — a cup
  18. root — of a word
  19. land — a country
  20. root — of a plant
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. land — ground
  24. cabinet — ministers

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