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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. lean — thin
  4. lean — to bend
  5. bear — the animal
  6. spell — a short time
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bank — for money
  12. bear — the animal
  13. spell — letters
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. land — ground
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bank — for money
  20. spell — magic
  21. rock — music
  22. land — to come down
  23. land — a country
  24. rock — a stone

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