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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: cabinet · pound · drill · bank · pit · vault · firm · bear

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. firm — steady
  3. bank — for money
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. bank — of a river
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. vault — a safe
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. pound — a weight
  11. drill — a practice
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — decided
  14. drill — the tool
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. drill — army training
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bank — for money
  19. bear — the animal
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pit — a hole
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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