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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: bay · snap · tube · bank · object · shower · charge · vault

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. vault — a safe
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. charge — a price
  5. shower — to wash
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. object — to protest
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. tube — a container
  10. charge — electricity
  11. snap — to click
  12. tube — the underground
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. bank — for money
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. charge — in control
  18. shower — rain
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. bank — for money
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — an aim

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