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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. roll — a list
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. fall — the season
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. fall — to drop
  10. vault — a safe
  11. row — a line
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. fall — to drop
  15. drill — a practice
  16. drill — the tool
  17. row — to paddle
  18. roll — a cake
  19. pound — a weight
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. drill — army training
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. bank — for money

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