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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. ground — the earth
  3. bank — for money
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. kid — child
  7. prune — to trim
  8. ground — crushed
  9. craft — a skill
  10. kid — to tease
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bank — for money
  14. face — part of the head
  15. bank — of a river
  16. face — to confront
  17. prune — to trim
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. face — to point toward
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. craft — boats
  23. ground — a position
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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