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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: club · dip · safe · vault · coach · tear

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  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 — a group
  2. dip — to sink
  3. tear — from crying
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. vault — a safe
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. club — for golf
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. tear — to rip
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. tear — from crying
  16. club — for dancing
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  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