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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: vault · rush · charge · spring · sharp · saw · bank · firm

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. spring — a coil
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. charge — electricity
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bank — of a river
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rush — hurry
  10. charge — a price
  11. vault — a safe
  12. firm — a company
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. firm — steady
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. bank — for money
  19. spring — the season
  20. spring — of water
  21. bank — for money
  22. sharp — clever
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. charge — in control

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