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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: straw · vault · bound · pass · firm · kid

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. vault — a safe
  3. firm — decided
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. firm — a company
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. kid — child
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. bound — obliged
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. kid — to tease
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. firm — steady
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bound — certain

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