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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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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: key · bat · vault · mark · branch · staff · saw · safe

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. vault — a safe
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bat — the animal
  8. saw — the tool
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. branch — a division
  12. key — for a lock
  13. staff — employees
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. staff — a stick
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. staff — employees
  19. key — the most important part
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. key — in music
  23. saw — the tool
  24. mark — a trace

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