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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: mate · bound · vault · can · rush · stock · track · racket

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. stock — shares
  3. track — a path
  4. can — a tin
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. stock — goods
  8. can — a tin
  9. track — to keep track
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. mate — a friend
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. bound — tied together
  16. mate — a partner
  17. vault — a safe
  18. bound — obliged
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. can — to be able to
  21. mate — to breed
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. track — a song

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