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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: vault · temple · shower · mate · bank · dip · land · bowl

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — a safe
  3. bank — of a river
  4. land — a country
  5. land — to come down
  6. bank — for money
  7. mate — a friend
  8. land — ground
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. mate — a partner
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. bank — for money
  14. mate — to breed
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. dip — to sink
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. shower — to wash
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. shower — rain
  24. temple — a place of worship

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