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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 120 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: squash · kick · vault · temple · land · fine · pop · safe

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. land — to come down
  3. squash — to crush
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. pop — music
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. vault — a safe
  8. land — a country
  9. pop — to visit
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. kick — in football
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. land — ground
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — all right
  23. pop — soda
  24. squash — the sport

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