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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 120 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: ground · bay · vault · march · wound · bank · object · rock

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. march — the month
  3. object — a thing
  4. ground — a position
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. object — an aim
  7. march — the month
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. ground — crushed
  11. wound — an injury
  12. rock — music
  13. vault — a safe
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. march — music
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bank — for money
  20. ground — the earth
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bank — of a river
  23. rock — a stone
  24. bank — for money

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