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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: club · chest · safe · vault · suit · bound · stock · board

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. suit — clothes
  3. vault — a safe
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. chest — of your body
  6. club — a group
  7. board — a committee
  8. stock — shares
  9. chest — a box
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. suit — to fit
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. bound — certain
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. club — for golf
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bound — tied together
  20. board — to get on
  21. club — for dancing
  22. stock — goods
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bound — obliged

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