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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: snap · swing · pound · vault · file · bay · bank · staff

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. staff — employees
  5. bank — of a river
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. file — a line of people
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. staff — a stick
  11. swing — in golf
  12. vault — a safe
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. pound — a weight
  15. swing — music
  16. staff — employees
  17. file — a tool
  18. snap — to click
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. bank — for money
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bank — for money
  23. file — a document
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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