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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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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: bay · cue · tube · net · vault · date · bank · bulb

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. cue — a hint
  5. bulb — for light
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. tube — a container
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. tube — the underground
  12. net — in sport
  13. net — after costs
  14. bulb — for light
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. net — for catching
  18. vault — a safe
  19. bank — for money
  20. cue — for pool
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. date — the fruit
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bank — for money

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