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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. object — to protest
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. rash — hasty
  5. object — an aim
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. land — to come down
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rash — a series
  11. bank — for money
  12. vault — a safe
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. bank — for money
  15. land — a country
  16. land — ground
  17. object — a thing
  18. rest — what's left

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