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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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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 · bank · pitcher · deal · tube · bound · pound · bay

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — for money
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. deal — to handle
  8. tube — a container
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. bound — tied together
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bound — certain
  13. vault — a safe
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. pound — a weight
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bound — obliged
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. bank — of a river

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