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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: roll · bank · vault · rule · swing · kick

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bank — for money
  4. swing — to play on
  5. roll — a list
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. bank — for money
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. kick — in football
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. bank — of a river
  14. roll — a cake
  15. rule — a law
  16. rule — government
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. swing — music

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