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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. scale — size or range
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bank — for money
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — a safe
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. march — music
  15. suit — clothes
  16. cell — in biology
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. march — the month
  19. march — the month
  20. cell — a phone
  21. scale — in music
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. bank — of a river
  24. kick — in football

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