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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.

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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. bank — for money
  3. kid — child
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. vault — a safe
  8. kid — to tease
  9. wax — to grow
  10. pitch — completely
  11. bank — for money
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. shower — rain
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. shower — to wash
  20. bank — of a river
  21. pound — a weight
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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