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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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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: rush · bound · foot · fine · stock · wound · vault · shower

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. rush — hurry
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. stock — goods
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. shower — to wash
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bound — obliged
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bound — certain
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. foot — a measure
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. stock — shares
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bound — tied together
  24. fine — high quality

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