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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · land · season · vault · chair · bank · wave · can

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  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. chair — a professorship
  2. season — in sport
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bank — of a river
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. can — a tin
  12. season — of the year
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. lie — to recline
  15. can — a tin
  16. bank — for money
  17. land — ground
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. chair — a leader
  20. land — a country
  21. land — to come down
  22. can — to be able to
  23. vault — a safe
  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