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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: capital · firm · race · rush · present · safe · vault · game

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. rush — hurry
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — a safe
  6. present — a gift
  7. capital — money
  8. present — the time now
  9. capital — a city
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. race — a contest
  13. firm — a company
  14. game — a match
  15. firm — decided
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. race — humankind
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. race — the arms race
  21. firm — steady
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. game — wild animals

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