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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: rule · vault · snap · march · shower · can · mark · present

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. march — the month
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. can — a tin
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. snap — to click
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. vault — a safe
  9. march — the month
  10. shower — rain
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. shower — to wash
  13. mark — a trace
  14. can — to be able to
  15. present — there
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. present — the time now
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. mark — a grade
  20. present — a gift
  21. rule — government
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. can — a tin
  24. rule — a law

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