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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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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: march · vault · firm · perch · safe · dip · nail · pass

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — a safe
  6. march — the month
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. march — the month
  10. firm — a company
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. firm — steady
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. dip — to sink
  24. march — music

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