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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. staff — employees
  3. bank — for money
  4. rule — a law
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. vault — a safe
  7. season — in sport
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. season — of the year
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. rule — government
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. staff — a stick
  16. wax — to grow
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bank — of a river
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. staff — employees
  24. rule — to rule out

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