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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: pit · leaves · rest · charge · bank · bore · vault · degree

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. rest — a break
  5. bank — for money
  6. bore — to tire
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bank — for money
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. rest — what's left
  12. vault — a safe
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. degree — temperature
  15. charge — in control
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. pit — in a race
  18. degree — an amount
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. degree — from a university
  21. rest — what's left
  22. charge — a price
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pit — a hole

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