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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: club · deal · bark · vault · rush · safe · stock · squash

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. stock — goods
  3. club — for golf
  4. club — for dancing
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. club — a group
  9. deal — to handle
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. squash — to crush
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. bark — to shout
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. vault — a safe
  21. rush — hurry
  22. squash — the sport
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. stock — shares

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