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

Word bank: vault · march · wave · bank · row · craft

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. craft — a skill
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. bank — of a river
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. craft — boats
  14. march — the month
  15. row — to paddle
  16. march — the month
  17. march — music
  18. wave — of the sea

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