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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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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 · wind · stick · bass · vault · jam · chair · toast

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. toast — bread
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. bass — the fish
  6. vault — a safe
  7. chair — a leader
  8. wind — moving air
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. wind — moving air
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bass — low music
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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