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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: bore · bank · club · vault · craft · wake

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bore — to tire
  3. club — a group
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. craft — a skill
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. club — for dancing
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wake — a trail
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. club — for golf
  13. bank — for money
  14. vault — a safe
  15. bank — of a river
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a handicraft

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