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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: vault · deal · cap · safe · staff · snap · sharp · cell

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. sharp — clever
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. snap — to click
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. vault — a safe
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. staff — employees
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cap — a lid
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. deal — to handle
  19. staff — employees
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. cell — in biology
  23. staff — a stick
  24. cell — a phone

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