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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.

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: lie · safe · capital · stem · row · rush · game · vault

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. row — a line
  4. lie — to recline
  5. rush — hurry
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. capital — money
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. vault — a safe
  17. stem — to come from
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. game — a match
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. game — wild animals
  23. row — to paddle
  24. capital — a city

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