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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 · pound · cold · vault · kick · racket · dip · object

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — for money
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. cold — not warm
  6. object — a thing
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. cold — an illness
  10. object — an aim
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bank — of a river
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. dip — to sink
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. vault — a safe
  17. kick — in football
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. pound — a weight
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. object — to protest
  24. kick — a thrill

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