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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 120 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: cap · rest · mine · bank · dip · vault · bark · wind

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. wind — moving air
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. rest — a break
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. rest — what's left
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. wind — moving air
  11. bank — of a river
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. cap — a lid
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bank — for money
  17. dip — to sink
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. bank — for money
  21. vault — a safe
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. cap — of ice
  24. bark — to shout

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