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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. degree — temperature
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. mate — a partner
  5. bank — of a river
  6. land — a country
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bank — for money
  10. degree — from a university
  11. land — ground
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. mate — a friend
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. mate — to breed
  17. spell — a short time
  18. bank — for money
  19. rash — a series
  20. degree — an amount
  21. spell — magic
  22. rash — hasty
  23. spell — letters
  24. land — to come down

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