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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: safe · tube · vault · deal · can · march · pound · mine

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. can — a tin
  3. vault — a safe
  4. can — a tin
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. march — the month
  10. can — to be able to
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. deal — to handle
  13. march — music
  14. tube — a container
  15. march — the month
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pound — a weight
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. mine — for digging
  24. pound — to hit hard

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