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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 116 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: rest · rush · bowl · nail · cap · pitcher · bound · vault

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rest — a break
  7. cap — of ice
  8. rush — hurry
  9. vault — a safe
  10. bound — certain
  11. cap — a hat
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bound — tied together
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. cap — a lid
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. bound — obliged

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