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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: lash · bank · ball · cell · calf · vault · saw · bound

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. bound — tied together
  3. vault — a safe
  4. bound — obliged
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. bank — for money
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. ball — a dance
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. bank — for money
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. cell — in biology
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. ball — a great time
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. bound — certain
  23. bank — of a river
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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