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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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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: lean · band · vault · chip · shower · snap · toast · safe

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  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. band — a ring
  2. shower — to wash
  3. lean — to bend
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. band — a music group
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. vault — a safe
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. lean — thin
  17. chip — to eat
  18. chip — for betting
  19. shower — rain
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. toast — bread
  22. snap — to click
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  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