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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: shower · bound · bear · row · stock · suit · board · vault

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. row — a line
  3. bear — the animal
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. stock — goods
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. shower — rain
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bound — certain
  10. board — to get on
  11. suit — to fit
  12. board — a committee
  13. vault — a safe
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. row — to paddle
  16. bear — the animal
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. shower — to wash
  20. bound — obliged
  21. suit — in cards
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. stock — shares

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