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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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bulb — for light
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bank — for money
  6. vault — a safe
  7. bulb — for light
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. bank — for money
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. track — a song
  16. lean — thin
  17. fine — high quality
  18. date — the fruit
  19. track — a path
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. bank — of a river
  23. track — to keep track
  24. lean — to bend

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