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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: safe · club · jam · roll · vault · bank · land · cell

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. roll — a cake
  3. bank — for money
  4. land — a country
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. land — ground
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. vault — a safe
  10. club — a group
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. roll — a list
  13. cell — a phone
  14. bank — for money
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. club — for dancing
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. cell — in biology
  22. club — for golf
  23. land — to come down
  24. bank — of a river

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