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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: present · field · vault · lash · safe · bound · toast · staff

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. toast — bread
  7. staff — employees
  8. present — a gift
  9. present — the time now
  10. field — farmland
  11. vault — a safe
  12. bound — certain
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bound — tied together
  17. field — for sport
  18. staff — employees
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. present — there
  22. field — a subject
  23. staff — a stick
  24. safe — out of danger

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