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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 120 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: squash · track · safe · mine · chest · calf · wave · vault

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. squash — to crush
  10. track — a path
  11. vault — a safe
  12. squash — the sport
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. mine — for digging
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. track — to keep track
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. chest — of your body
  20. chest — of your body
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. track — a song
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — with your hand

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