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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: track · vault · pit · wave · shower · rush · net · pop

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. shower — to wash
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pit — a hole
  5. shower — rain
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. net — after costs
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. pop — music
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. pop — soda
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. track — a path
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. net — in sport
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. rush — hurry
  20. pit — in a race
  21. vault — a safe
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. net — for catching
  24. track — a song

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