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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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Word bank
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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. snap — to click
  3. vault — a safe
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. bank — for money
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. firm — a company
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. bank — of a river
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. firm — decided
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. bore — to drill
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. mine — for digging
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. firm — steady
  23. bank — for money
  24. bore — gave birth

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