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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: mine · branch · sharp · safe · race · spell · fall · vault

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. vault — a safe
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. mine — for digging
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. spell — a short time
  9. sharp — clever
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. race — humankind
  13. spell — magic
  14. fall — the season
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. race — the arms race
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. spell — letters
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. branch — a division
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — to drop
  23. race — a contest
  24. mine — belonging to me

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