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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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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: pass · tube · vault · safe · race · firm · lean · hide

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. lean — thin
  3. firm — a company
  4. vault — a safe
  5. firm — decided
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. race — the arms race
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. tube — the underground
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. race — humankind
  18. tube — a container
  19. race — a contest
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. lean — to bend

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