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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: snap · rush · bass · march · bowl · board · vault · fork

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. march — the month
  4. board — a committee
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. vault — a safe
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. snap — to click
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. march — the month
  13. board — to get on
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. fork — in a road
  16. bass — low music
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. march — music
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bass — the fish
  24. rush — 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