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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: rash · mine · temple · lean · bank · court · saw · vault

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. vault — a safe
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. rash — a series
  6. lean — thin
  7. court — of a king
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. court — for sport
  12. saw — the tool
  13. court — of law
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bank — of a river
  16. mine — for digging
  17. bank — for money
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. lean — to bend
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. bank — for money
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. lean — to rest against

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