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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.

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: safe · scale · game · straw · chair · ball · vault · rock

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. rock — music
  6. vault — a safe
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. rock — a stone
  10. scale — size or range
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. chair — a leader
  15. ball — a dance
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. game — wild animals
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. game — a match
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. ball — a great time
  24. scale — in music

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