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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: band · vault · safe · lash · bank · degree · craft · suit

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. band — a ring
  4. craft — a skill
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. degree — from a university
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. suit — clothes
  9. degree — an amount
  10. suit — in cards
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. degree — temperature
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bank — of a river
  18. vault — a safe
  19. suit — to fit
  20. band — a music group
  21. craft — boats
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  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