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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: shower · foot · squash · vault · cap · nail · staff · bound

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — rain
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. staff — a stick
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bound — obliged
  8. staff — employees
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. vault — a safe
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. bound — tied together
  15. foot — a measure
  16. cap — of ice
  17. staff — employees
  18. cap — a hat
  19. squash — the sport
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. squash — to crush
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. shower — to wash
  24. bound — certain

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