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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 120 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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. vault — a safe
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bank — for money
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. hand — in cards
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. sharp — clever
  11. object — an aim
  12. mine — for digging
  13. bank — of a river
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. object — a thing
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. hand — help
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. bank — for money
  24. object — to protest

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