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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: bank · vault · cell · stand · mug · band · land · club

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. club — for dancing
  4. bank — for money
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. club — a group
  7. cell — in biology
  8. mug — a face
  9. band — a music group
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bank — for money
  12. stand — to bear
  13. land — a country
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — to rob
  16. band — a ring
  17. bank — of a river
  18. land — to come down
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. club — for golf
  22. land — ground
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. cell — a phone

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