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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: safe · game · mine · wave · stand · vault · ruler · bark

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. bark — to shout
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. game — wild animals
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. vault — a safe
  16. stand — to bear
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. mine — for digging
  22. game — a match
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. mine — belonging to me

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