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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: bore · bass · rush · jam · vault · safe · stock · mark

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. 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. safe — out of danger
  2. stock — shares
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. mark — a trace
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. bore — to tire
  15. stock — goods
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bass — low music
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. 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