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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 116 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.

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: calf · scale · nail · safe · vault · bat · mate · stock

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mate — to breed
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. stock — goods
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. vault — a safe
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. scale — in music
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. bat — the animal
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. stock — shares
  16. scale — size or range
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. mate — a friend
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. mate — a partner

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