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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: kick · vault · rock · wind · band · mouse · pass · pound

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rock — a stone
  3. kick — in football
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. pound — a weight
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wind — moving air
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. band — a ring
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. vault — a safe
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pass — a permit
  19. rock — music
  20. band — a music group
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. kick — a thrill

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