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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: content · bay · club · craft · vault · safe

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. 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. club — for golf
  2. content — the amount
  3. vault — a safe
  4. craft — a skill
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. craft — boats
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. club — a group
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. content — happy
  17. club — for dancing
  18. 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