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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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468
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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. tube — a container
  3. vault — a safe
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. band — a ring
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. bank — for money
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. fork — in a road
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. band — a music group
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. dip — to sink
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. bank — for money
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. bank — of a river

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