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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: bat · key · race · roll · leaves · lash · vault · safe

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. key — in music
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. race — a contest
  10. roll — a list
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bat — the animal
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. vault — a safe
  19. key — the most important part
  20. race — humankind
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. race — the arms race
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. roll — a cake

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