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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 · wave · hide · vault · kid · present · stock · squash

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. stock — goods
  4. present — a gift
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — for money
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. squash — the sport
  9. bank — of a river
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. squash — to crush
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. present — there
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. stock — shares
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. present — the time now
  23. kid — child
  24. kid — to tease

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