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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: chip · rush · vault · rest · bank · pitcher · bowl · stock

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. stock — shares
  4. rest — a break
  5. vault — a safe
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. bank — of a river
  8. rest — what's left
  9. stock — goods
  10. bank — for money
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bank — for money
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. rest — what's left
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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