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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: cabinet · bank · firm · track · ruler · clip · leaves · vault

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. clip — for paper
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. clip — to cut
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bank — for money
  7. firm — steady
  8. track — a song
  9. track — a path
  10. vault — a safe
  11. firm — decided
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. track — to keep track
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. bank — of a river
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. firm — a company
  23. ruler — for measuring
  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