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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
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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: shower · net · fan · rush · dip · stock · vault · fine

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. net — for catching
  3. dip — to sink
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. vault — a safe
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. net — in sport
  10. rush — hurry
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fine — all right
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. stock — goods
  16. fine — high quality
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. stock — shares
  19. shower — rain
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. net — after costs
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. shower — to wash

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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