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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: stick · board · firm · bank · vault · pit

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. firm — steady
  5. bank — for money
  6. firm — a company
  7. bank — for money
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. vault — a safe
  11. board — a committee
  12. firm — decided
  13. board — to get on
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pit — in a race
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. pit — a hole

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