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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — a safe
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bank — of a river
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. kid — child
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. press — newspapers
  9. craft — a skill
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bass — the fish
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. kid — to tease
  14. craft — boats
  15. press — a publisher
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. bass — low music
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — for money
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. press — to push
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. fork — a garden tool

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