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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: kick · court · vault · bank · racket · bore

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. kick — in football
  3. bank — of a river
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. bore — to tire
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. court — of law
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. court — for sport
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. court — of a king
  12. vault — a safe
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bank — for money
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. bank — for money

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