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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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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: shower · safe · vault · pit · band · deal · mate · nail

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. pit — a hole
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. mate — a partner
  8. shower — rain
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mate — to breed
  12. pit — in a race
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. vault — a safe
  19. shower — to wash
  20. deal — to handle
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. band — a music group
  24. band — a ring

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