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

Word bank: safe · rule · vault · stick · degree · band

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. band — a ring
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. band — a music group
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. rule — government
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. degree — an amount
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. vault — a safe
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. degree — temperature
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. degree — from a university
  17. rule — a law
  18. rule — to rule out

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