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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: leaves · prune · pound · track · vault · bass · safe · chair

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. track — a path
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bass — the fish
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. bass — low music
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. prune — to trim
  10. vault — a safe
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. chair — a leader
  16. track — to keep track
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. pound — a weight
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. bass — the instrument

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