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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: bank · mate · kid · press · stick · racket · vault · deal

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. kid — to tease
  4. press — newspapers
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mate — to breed
  7. bank — for money
  8. vault — a safe
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. bank — for money
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. press — a publisher
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. press — to push
  17. deal — to handle
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. mate — a partner
  20. kid — child
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bank — of a river

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