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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: hand · calf · vault · bank · safe · fine · file · ground

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. ground — the earth
  3. bank — for money
  4. ground — crushed
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. file — a line of people
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. hand — in cards
  10. file — a document
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. bank — of a river
  16. fine — high quality
  17. fine — all right
  18. bank — for money
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. vault — a safe
  22. hand — help
  23. ground — a position
  24. hand — part of the body

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