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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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 · rush · object · straw · field · last · content · safe

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. object — an aim
  4. field — farmland
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. object — to protest
  7. content — the amount
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. rush — hurry
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. content — happy
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. field — a subject
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. field — for sport
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. object — a thing
  22. last — to go on
  23. vault — a safe
  24. last — final

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