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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. bank — for money
  4. chest — of your body
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bank — for money
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. last — to go on
  9. vault — a safe
  10. bank — of a river
  11. chest — of your body
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. chest — a box
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. last — finally
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. pit — in a race
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. pit — a hole
  22. last — final
  23. fine — high quality
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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