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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. firm — steady
  4. date — the fruit
  5. hand — help
  6. march — the month
  7. hand — in cards
  8. march — the month
  9. pop — to visit
  10. rest — a break
  11. march — music
  12. bank — of a river
  13. rest — what's left
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bank — for money
  18. firm — a company
  19. rest — what's left
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. pop — music
  22. vault — a safe
  23. pop — soda
  24. firm — decided

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