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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: vault · hide · firm · bank · race · file · ball · snap

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. race — the arms race
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. firm — a company
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bank — for money
  12. file — a line of people
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. race — a contest
  15. firm — steady
  16. snap — to click
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. firm — decided
  19. file — a document
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a dance
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. file — a tool
  24. race — humankind

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