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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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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: kid · object · mate · bass · stem · safe · vault · last

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. object — an aim
  4. bass — the fish
  5. last — finally
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. last — final
  9. mate — a friend
  10. vault — a safe
  11. last — to go on
  12. mate — a partner
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. object — to protest
  18. mate — to breed
  19. object — a thing
  20. kid — child
  21. kid — to tease
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. stem — to come from
  24. bass — low music

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