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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.

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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: vault · wind · safe · bass · mate · bowl · current · chip

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. current — happening now
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. chip — to eat
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. chip — for betting
  7. mate — to breed
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. current — electric
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bass — low music
  12. mate — a partner
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. wind — moving air
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. current — of water
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. mate — a friend
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. vault — a safe
  23. bass — the fish
  24. safe — a strongbox

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