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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.

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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: pit · rush · bank · field · lean · vault · fork · rest

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. vault — a safe
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. rest — what's left
  8. lean — thin
  9. field — a subject
  10. fork — in a road
  11. field — farmland
  12. pit — in a race
  13. bank — for money
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. lean — to bend
  16. bank — for money
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — a break
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. rush — hurry
  23. bank — of a river
  24. field — for sport

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