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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.

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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: hide · vault · safe · bank · lean · club · pound · staff

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. club — for dancing
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. staff — a stick
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. club — a group
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. pound — a weight
  12. lean — thin
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. staff — employees
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. staff — employees
  19. bank — for money
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. club — for golf
  22. lean — to bend
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bank — for money

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