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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bank · saw · lean · mine · jam · cue · charge · vault

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. mine — for digging
  5. cue — a signal
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. cue — a hint
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. lean — thin
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. vault — a safe
  14. charge — electricity
  15. saw — the tool
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. charge — a price
  20. cue — for pool
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. charge — in control
  23. bank — for money
  24. lean — to bend

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