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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: safe · vault · pound · pit · suit · bear

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. suit — to fit
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. vault — a safe
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. pit — in a race
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bear — the animal
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. suit — clothes
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pound — a weight
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pit — a hole

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