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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.

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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. vault — a safe
  3. tube — a container
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. bank — for money
  6. rock — a stone
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. degree — from a university
  9. degree — temperature
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. tube — the underground
  12. face — part of the head
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. face — to point toward
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. degree — an amount
  17. rock — music
  18. toast — bread
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. face — to confront
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. bank — for money

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