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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: vault · pass · roll · safe · game · staff · fine · hand

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. vault — a safe
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. pass — a permit
  11. game — a match
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. staff — employees
  14. roll — a cake
  15. hand — help
  16. hand — in cards
  17. staff — employees
  18. fine — all right
  19. game — wild animals
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. roll — a list
  24. staff — a stick

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