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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: pass · vault · spring · bank · bulb · bay · clip · land

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  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. bulb — for light
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. vault — a safe
  4. clip — a video
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. spring — a coil
  9. bank — of a river
  10. spring — the season
  11. land — a country
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bank — for money
  15. land — ground
  16. clip — to cut
  17. pass — a permit
  18. clip — for paper
  19. land — to come down
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. spring — of water
  23. pass — to succeed
  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