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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: nail · vault · kid · saw · scale · band · pit · safe

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. kid — child
  4. band — a ring
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. vault — a safe
  9. band — a music group
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. kid — to tease
  13. scale — in music
  14. scale — size or range
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. saw — the tool
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. saw — the tool
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pit — a hole
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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