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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: staff · vault · land · pound · band · kick · bay · tear

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. staff — a stick
  3. pound — a weight
  4. kick — in football
  5. tear — from crying
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. land — ground
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. tear — from crying
  12. land — a country
  13. tear — to rip
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. band — a ring
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. land — to come down
  19. vault — a safe
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — employees
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. band — a music group

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