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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.

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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · pound · court · last · bank · can · bass · vault

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. last — to go on
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. can — to be able to
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. bank — for money
  8. last — final
  9. bass — the fish
  10. vault — a safe
  11. court — of law
  12. can — a tin
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. bank — for money
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bank — of a river
  19. row — a line
  20. court — of a king
  21. row — to paddle
  22. pound — a weight
  23. last — finally
  24. court — for sport

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