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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 120 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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. wind — moving air
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stand — to bear
  6. pound — a weight
  7. bank — for money
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. bank — for money
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — music
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. wind — moving air
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. bank — of a river
  19. vault — a safe
  20. march — music
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. march — the month
  24. march — the month

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