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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: drill · straw · deal · rush · safe · chair · race · vault

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. drill — the tool
  3. race — a contest
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. vault — a safe
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. chair — a leader
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. drill — army training
  17. race — the arms race
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. drill — a practice
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. rush — hurry
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. race — humankind

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