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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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Word bank
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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: safe · tube · bank · prune · spell · mouse · chair · vault

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. chair — a leader
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. spell — letters
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. tube — a container
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bank — for money
  14. spell — a short time
  15. spell — magic
  16. bank — for money
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. vault — a safe
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. prune — to trim
  23. tube — the underground
  24. prune — to trim

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