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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: lash · scale · bank · vault · pit · suit · cold · drill

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. cold — not warm
  3. pit — a hole
  4. bank — for money
  5. scale — size or range
  6. pit — in a race
  7. bank — for money
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. suit — clothes
  10. vault — a safe
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. drill — army training
  13. cold — an illness
  14. suit — to fit
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. scale — in music
  19. suit — in cards
  20. drill — a practice
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. drill — the tool

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