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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
468
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: fine · ball · safe · prune · vault · pitcher · lash · season

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. prune — to trim
  3. vault — a safe
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a great time
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. fine — high quality
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. season — in sport
  17. season — of the year
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — all right
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. prune — to trim
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. safe — out of danger

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