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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: rock · pop · vault · club · rush · lean · saw · bound

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. club — a group
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lean — to bend
  5. saw — the tool
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. club — for golf
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. pop — soda
  12. lean — thin
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. vault — a safe
  17. saw — the tool
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. bound — certain
  20. bound — tied together
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pop — music
  23. club — for dancing
  24. rush — hurry

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