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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 · race · vault · ground · can · chest · cue · leaves

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. cue — a hint
  4. bank — of a river
  5. ground — crushed
  6. can — a tin
  7. bank — for money
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. vault — a safe
  10. can — a tin
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. chest — of your body
  13. ground — a position
  14. chest — a box
  15. cue — for pool
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. race — the arms race
  18. ground — the earth
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. chest — of your body
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bank — for money
  23. race — humankind
  24. race — a contest

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