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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: rush · craft · clip · bank · chip · vault · date · object

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. clip — a video
  3. bank — of a river
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. object — to protest
  8. chip — to eat
  9. craft — boats
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. clip — to cut
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bank — for money
  16. chip — for betting
  17. date — the fruit
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. clip — for paper
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bank — for money
  23. object — a thing
  24. vault — a safe

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