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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: club · rush · vault · kid · lean · bank · chip · fan

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. club — for golf
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. kid — to tease
  5. bank — of a river
  6. rush — hurry
  7. lean — thin
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. kid — child
  13. bank — for money
  14. club — for dancing
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. chip — for betting
  20. lean — to bend
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bank — for money
  24. club — a group

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