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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 · hand · stick · mark · net · bore · jam · rush

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. mark — a trace
  3. vault — a safe
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. bore — to tire
  6. net — after costs
  7. net — for catching
  8. mark — a grade
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. bore — to drill
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. hand — in cards
  18. hand — help
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. net — in sport

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