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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.

Make a worksheet

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: safe · plane · sharp · lash · fine · straw · vault · ball

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. ball — a great time
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. sharp — clever
  12. plane — a tool
  13. vault — a safe
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. fine — high quality
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. ball — a dance
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. fine — all right

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