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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: lash · rush · vault · pound · bound · can · date · wind

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  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. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bound — tied together
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. wind — moving air
  5. can — a tin
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. bound — obliged
  10. date — the fruit
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. bound — certain
  16. wind — moving air
  17. can — to be able to
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. can — a tin
  21. pound — a weight
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. pound — to hit hard
  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