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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: craft · chest · bank · shower · fan · vault · deal · current

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. shower — to wash
  3. bank — for money
  4. chest — of your body
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bank — of a river
  11. chest — a box
  12. current — happening now
  13. bank — for money
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. craft — boats
  16. current — electric
  17. vault — a safe
  18. chest — of your body
  19. deal — to handle
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. craft — a skill
  22. current — of water
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. shower — rain

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