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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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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: lie · kick · vault · bank · rock · drill · net · bound

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  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. kick — in football
  2. rock — music
  3. bound — obliged
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. drill — army training
  7. bank — of a river
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rock — a stone
  11. vault — a safe
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. bound — certain
  15. bound — tied together
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. net — in sport
  18. net — for catching
  19. drill — the tool
  20. net — after costs
  21. drill — a practice
  22. bank — for money
  23. kick — a thrill
  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