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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: can · vault · firm · rock · mouse · rest · racket · land

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  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. racket — for tennis
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. rock — music
  5. firm — decided
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. can — to be able to
  11. land — to come down
  12. land — a country
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — a break
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. firm — steady
  17. land — ground
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. firm — a company
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. rock — a stone
  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