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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. vault — a safe
  3. object — to protest
  4. object — a thing
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. drill — army training
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bank — for money
  9. drill — the tool
  10. clip — for paper
  11. clip — to cut
  12. drill — a practice
  13. bank — of a river
  14. clip — a video
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. ball — a dance
  17. object — an aim
  18. ball — a round shape

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