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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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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: spell · vault · spring · rash · rush · safe · club · can

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rash — a series
  4. spell — letters
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. rush — hurry
  7. club — for dancing
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. club — a group
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. can — a tin
  16. spell — magic
  17. rash — hasty
  18. spring — a coil
  19. vault — a safe
  20. club — for golf
  21. spring — of water
  22. can — a tin
  23. spell — a short time
  24. spring — the season

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