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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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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: row · vault · pitcher · rush · game · bank

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. rush — hurry
  4. game — a match
  5. row — to paddle
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. game — wild animals
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. bank — for money
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. bank — of a river
  13. row — a line
  14. bank — for money
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. vault — a safe
  18. vault — an arched ceiling

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