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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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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. vault — a safe
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. kid — child
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bat — the animal
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. branch — a division
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. fine — all right
  17. kid — to tease
  18. cue — a hint
  19. fine — high quality
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — a jug

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