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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: tube · sharp · fan · ground · safe · key · stick · vault

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. sharp — clever
  7. key — in music
  8. ground — crushed
  9. ground — a position
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. ground — the earth
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. key — the most important part
  14. tube — the underground
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. key — for a lock
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. tube — a container
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. fan — a supporter

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