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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: bulb · vault · bat · bass · safe · band · drill · scale

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bass — low music
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. band — a music group
  6. drill — army training
  7. drill — the tool
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. scale — size or range
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. bat — the animal
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. scale — in music
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. drill — a practice
  19. vault — a safe
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. band — a ring
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. bulb — for light

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