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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: vault · capital · squash · ball · suit · band · pass · safe

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. squash — the sport
  4. band — a ring
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. capital — money
  8. band — a music group
  9. vault — a safe
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a dance
  12. suit — in cards
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. squash — to crush
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. suit — clothes
  18. capital — a city
  19. ball — a great time
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. suit — to fit
  22. pass — a permit
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. safe — a strongbox

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