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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.

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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: pound · staff · vault · rest · face · craft · bound · safe

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. rest — a break
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a skill
  6. face — part of the head
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pound — a weight
  9. staff — employees
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. rest — what's left
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bound — obliged
  15. face — to point toward
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. face — to confront
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. rest — what's left
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. staff — a stick
  22. bound — certain
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. staff — employees

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