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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.

Make a worksheet

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: spell · lean · safe · kid · mug · saw · vault · spring

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. spell — letters
  4. mug — a cup
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. kid — to tease
  7. lean — thin
  8. saw — the tool
  9. spring — a coil
  10. lean — to bend
  11. spell — magic
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. vault — a safe
  14. spell — a short time
  15. spring — of water
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. spring — the season
  18. mug — to rob
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mug — a face
  21. saw — the tool
  22. kid — child
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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