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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.

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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: straw · bulb · safe · shower · season · vault · bear · pound

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bulb — for light
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. season — of the year
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. season — in sport
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. shower — rain
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. shower — to wash
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pound — a weight
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bulb — for light
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. bear — the animal
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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