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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 120 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: dip · content · sharp · ground · rush · vault · shower · band

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. shower — rain
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. content — the amount
  8. rush — hurry
  9. vault — a safe
  10. dip — to sink
  11. shower — to wash
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. ground — a position
  14. ground — crushed
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. content — happy
  17. sharp — clever
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. band — a ring
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. band — a music group

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