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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: safe · spring · vault · bat · pitcher · root · mouse · firm

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. bat — the animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. root — of a word
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. firm — steady
  14. root — of a plant
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. spring — the season
  19. spring — a coil
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — decided
  22. spring — of water
  23. root — the cause
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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