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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: degree · wake · march · vault · nail · stand · bore · rush

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. wake — a trail
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bore — to tire
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. degree — from a university
  11. march — music
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. degree — an amount
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. march — the month
  17. bore — to drill
  18. vault — a safe
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — hurry
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. degree — temperature
  24. march — the month

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