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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: pound · firm · bank · club · rush · straw · mate · vault

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. club — for golf
  3. mate — a partner
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. rush — hurry
  7. pound — a weight
  8. vault — a safe
  9. mate — to breed
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. club — a group
  12. firm — decided
  13. bank — of a river
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. bank — for money
  17. club — for dancing
  18. firm — a company
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. firm — steady
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. mate — a friend

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