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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. lean — thin
  3. bank — for money
  4. staff — employees
  5. wound — an injury
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bank — of a river
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. object — a thing
  11. bank — for money
  12. object — an aim
  13. wound — an injury
  14. tube — a container
  15. object — to protest
  16. staff — a stick
  17. lean — to bend
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pass — a permit
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. staff — employees
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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