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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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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 · perch · snap · vault · foot · bore · date · bear

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bank — of a river
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bore — to drill
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. bank — for money
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. snap — to click
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bank — for money
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. perch — the fish
  20. foot — a measure
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. bear — the animal
  23. vault — a safe
  24. date — the fruit

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