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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: vault · prune · rest · stand · snap · bank · hide · mate

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. vault — a safe
  3. bank — for money
  4. mate — to breed
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bank — of a river
  7. rest — what's left
  8. prune — to trim
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. mate — a friend
  11. rest — what's left
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. snap — to click
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. prune — to trim
  18. mate — a partner
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. rest — a break

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