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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: stand · vault · kid · spell · prune · rash · safe · staff

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. staff — a stick
  10. spell — magic
  11. staff — employees
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. prune — to trim
  15. spell — a short time
  16. kid — to tease
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. staff — employees
  19. prune — to trim
  20. spell — letters
  21. stand — to bear
  22. rash — hasty
  23. vault — a safe
  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