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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. spell — magic
  5. drill — the tool
  6. spell — letters
  7. bulb — for light
  8. vault — a safe
  9. drill — a practice
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bank — of a river
  12. tear — to rip
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. tear — from crying
  21. spell — a short time
  22. tear — from crying
  23. bank — for money
  24. drill — army training

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