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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: bank · rock · vault · stock · suit · kid · tear · rest

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rest — what's left
  3. tear — to rip
  4. kid — child
  5. suit — clothes
  6. rock — music
  7. suit — to fit
  8. rock — a stone
  9. bank — of a river
  10. rest — a break
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bank — for money
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. kid — to tease
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. tear — from crying
  17. vault — a safe
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. tear — from crying
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. stock — goods
  23. stock — shares
  24. rest — what's left

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