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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.

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: mine · vault · bat · safe · tube · lie · pop · wave

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tube — the underground
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. pop — music
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. tube — a container
  13. bat — the animal
  14. vault — a safe
  15. pop — soda
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pop — to visit
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. mine — for digging
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. lie — to recline
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. wave — with your hand

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