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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: club · saw · vault · kid · bank · ball · suit · calf

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. bank — for money
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. ball — a great time
  5. kid — child
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bank — for money
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. club — a group
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bank — of a river
  12. vault — a safe
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. club — for golf
  15. suit — clothes
  16. kid — to tease
  17. saw — the tool
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. suit — to fit
  20. ball — a dance
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. saw — the tool

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