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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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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: vault · fork · stock · pass · bound · rush

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. rush — hurry
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. vault — a safe
  6. bound — tied together
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. stock — goods
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bound — certain
  14. stock — shares
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rush — to hurry

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