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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 120 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.

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: safe · degree · firm · ball · hide · vault · bowl · mine

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — decided
  9. degree — an amount
  10. vault — a safe
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. ball — a great time
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. degree — temperature
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. firm — a company
  21. degree — from a university
  22. mine — for digging
  23. ball — a dance
  24. bowl — to roll

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