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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: track · vault · net · pit · lie · wake · bank · lean

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bank — for money
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. lean — thin
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. bank — for money
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. net — after costs
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — a trail
  11. track — to keep track
  12. net — for catching
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. lie — to recline
  15. pit — a hole
  16. net — in sport
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bank — of a river
  20. pit — in a race
  21. track — a song
  22. lean — to bend
  23. track — a path
  24. lean — to rest against

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