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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
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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 · vault · clip · toast · chair · rush · date · drill

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. drill — a practice
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. drill — the tool
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. date — the fruit
  13. drill — army training
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. chair — a leader
  16. vault — a safe
  17. toast — bread
  18. rush — hurry
  19. clip — for paper
  20. clip — a video
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. clip — to cut
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — out of danger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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