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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 116 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: cell · rock · stock · vault · bound · kick

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. kick — in football
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. cell — in biology
  6. bound — obliged
  7. rock — music
  8. bound — certain
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. cell — a phone
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. stock — shares
  16. stock — goods
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. vault — a safe

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