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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: sharp · bound · track · cap · staff · stem · vault · shower

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. shower — rain
  3. track — a song
  4. shower — to wash
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. staff — employees
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. bound — obliged
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. bound — tied together
  12. cap — a hat
  13. track — a path
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. cap — a lid
  17. stem — to come from
  18. sharp — clever
  19. track — to keep track
  20. staff — a stick
  21. vault — a safe
  22. cap — of ice
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. staff — employees

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