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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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Word bank
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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: vault · arm · rash · safe · toast · band · pass · bass

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. rash — a series
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bass — low music
  6. band — a music group
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. band — a ring
  9. vault — a safe
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bass — the fish
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. pass — a permit
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. rash — hasty
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. band — a rubber band

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