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

Word bank: club · vault · object · rule · mark · safe

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. club — a group
  3. mark — a grade
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. object — to protest
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. rule — government
  10. rule — a law
  11. vault — a safe
  12. club — for golf
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. object — an aim
  16. club — for dancing
  17. mark — a trace
  18. object — a thing

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