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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: safe · kid · bear · vault · clip · bank · racket · lean

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. bank — for money
  5. vault — a safe
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. clip — to cut
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. clip — a video
  13. bear — the animal
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bank — for money
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. lean — to bend
  22. kid — to tease
  23. clip — for paper
  24. lean — thin

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