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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.

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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: temple · pitcher · vault · game · safe · dip · sharp · bass

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. dip — to sink
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. game — a match
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. bass — the fish
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. game — wild animals
  24. bass — low music

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