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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: mug · tear · rule · vault · arm · safe

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. mug — to rob
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. rule — a law
  5. rule — government
  6. mug — a face
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. tear — from crying
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. vault — a safe
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. tear — to rip
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mug — a cup

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