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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.

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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: bank · mate · pass · spring · safe · rash · vault · wind

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bank — for money
  3. mate — to breed
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mate — a friend
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. rash — hasty
  11. wind — moving air
  12. vault — a safe
  13. spring — of water
  14. spring — a coil
  15. bank — of a river
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bank — for money
  19. rash — a series
  20. mate — a partner
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. spring — the season

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