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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 116 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: vault · safe · deal · staff · tear · board · lash · cap

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. tear — from crying
  3. cap — a hat
  4. tear — from crying
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. cap — a lid
  9. staff — a stick
  10. vault — a safe
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. tear — to rip
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. staff — employees
  15. board — a committee
  16. cap — of ice
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. deal — to handle
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. board — to get on

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