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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: bay · bound · bank · march · vault · stand · chip · cell

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  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. march — the month
  2. cell — in biology
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. cell — a phone
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. chip — to eat
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — obliged
  9. march — music
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. march — the month
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. bank — for money
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. bound — certain
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. chip — for betting
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stand — for spectators
  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