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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: mark · shower · swing · vault · clip · bay · file · bank

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. clip — a video
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. shower — rain
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. shower — to wash
  7. clip — to cut
  8. vault — a safe
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — in golf
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bank — of a river
  13. file — a tool
  14. mark — a grade
  15. file — a document
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. file — a line of people
  18. bank — for money
  19. clip — for paper
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. swing — to play on
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  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