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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: present · spring · vault · nail · court · shower · rock · can

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. spring — of water
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. rock — a stone
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. court — of a king
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. present — the time now
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. spring — a coil
  12. can — to be able to
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. can — a tin
  15. shower — to wash
  16. shower — rain
  17. court — for sport
  18. court — of law
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. spring — the season
  21. rock — music
  22. present — a gift
  23. present — there
  24. can — a tin

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