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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: vault · mate · fork · rest · pop · bank

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. rest — a break
  3. pop — to visit
  4. mate — a friend
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. mate — a partner
  7. mate — to breed
  8. bank — for money
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bank — of a river
  11. rest — what's left
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. pop — music
  15. vault — a safe
  16. bank — for money
  17. pop — soda
  18. fork — a garden tool

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