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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. squash — the sport
  3. bank — for money
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. bank — of a river
  6. spring — the season
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. object — a thing
  10. spring — a coil
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. vault — a safe
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. spring — of water
  19. object — an aim
  20. object — to protest
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. mine — for digging
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. squash — to crush

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