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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: staff · lie · safe · mine · vault · spring · club · arm

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. vault — a safe
  9. club — for golf
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. staff — a stick
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mine — for digging
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — of water
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. club — for dancing
  21. club — a group
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. spring — the season

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