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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. object — to protest
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. file — a document
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pop — to visit
  7. bank — for money
  8. object — a thing
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pop — music
  11. object — an aim
  12. bank — of a river
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. file — a line of people
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. bank — for money
  20. file — a tool
  21. capital — money
  22. pop — soda
  23. capital — a city
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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