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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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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 · bank · wave · fork · clip · present · lie · vault

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. vault — a safe
  3. bank — for money
  4. clip — a video
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. present — a gift
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bank — for money
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. present — there
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fork — in a road
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. bank — of a river
  23. present — the time now
  24. clip — for paper

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