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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: hide · court · vault · fall · bound · rash · prune · bank

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. vault — a safe
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bound — tied together
  5. prune — to trim
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. fall — the season
  8. bank — for money
  9. bound — certain
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bank — for money
  13. court — for sport
  14. bank — of a river
  15. prune — to trim
  16. rash — a series
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rash — hasty
  20. fall — to drop
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. court — of a king
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. court — of law

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