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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. spell — a short time
  3. row — a line
  4. tear — from crying
  5. vault — a safe
  6. bank — of a river
  7. band — a ring
  8. spell — letters
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. cue — a hint
  12. bear — the animal
  13. tear — to rip
  14. cue — for pool
  15. bank — for money
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. tear — from crying
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. cue — a signal
  21. band — a music group
  22. spell — magic
  23. bank — for money
  24. row — to paddle

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