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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: bank · vault · march · hand · bound · court · wave · bay

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. court — of a king
  3. hand — help
  4. bound — obliged
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. court — for sport
  9. court — of law
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. hand — in cards
  13. bound — certain
  14. bound — tied together
  15. vault — a safe
  16. march — the month
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. march — music
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — of a river
  22. march — the month
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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