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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: board · vault · bay · rule · safe · march

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. board — a committee
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. vault — a safe
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. march — the month
  10. rule — government
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. march — music
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. rule — a law
  18. board — to get on

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