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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 116 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: vault · band · stock · calf · bank · wave · racket · bat

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. band — a ring
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bank — for money
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. stock — shares
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. stock — goods
  16. band — a music group
  17. bat — the animal
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bank — of a river
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. vault — a safe
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  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