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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 124 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: bound · saw · mate · safe · bark · vault · date · pitch

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. pitch — completely
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bark — to shout
  7. date — the fruit
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bound — obliged
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mate — a friend
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. vault — a safe
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. mate — to breed
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. bound — certain
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. bound — tied together

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