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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: bore · pop · shower · object · vault · ground · fork · rock

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. bore — to tire
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. shower — rain
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fork — in a road
  7. ground — the earth
  8. bore — to drill
  9. object — an aim
  10. pop — soda
  11. object — to protest
  12. ground — crushed
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. vault — a safe
  15. pop — music
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. object — a thing
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. ground — a position
  21. pop — to visit
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rock — music

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