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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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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: rest · vault · lean · stand · squash · bank · file · cap

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. file — a line of people
  3. rest — what's left
  4. cap — of ice
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. squash — the sport
  7. vault — a safe
  8. squash — to crush
  9. file — a tool
  10. bank — for money
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — to bear
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. file — a document
  15. rest — a break
  16. cap — a hat
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. lean — to bend
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bank — for money
  23. rest — what's left
  24. lean — thin

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