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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: field · kick · ball · present · dip · bank · stick · vault

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bank — of a river
  4. dip — to sink
  5. bank — for money
  6. field — farmland
  7. kick — in football
  8. field — a subject
  9. ball — a great time
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. field — for sport
  12. vault — a safe
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. present — there
  17. bank — for money
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. present — a gift
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. present — the time now

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