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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bank — for money
  6. kick — in football
  7. bank — for money
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. rest — a break
  10. vault — a safe
  11. saw — the tool
  12. club — for golf
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. rest — what's left
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. perch — the fish
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. club — for dancing
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. saw — the tool
  21. club — a group
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. rest — what's left
  24. dip — to sink

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