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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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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: vault · rock · lash · net · bore · suit · chest · pound

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. net — for catching
  3. chest — of your body
  4. bore — to drill
  5. rock — a stone
  6. chest — a box
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bore — to tire
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. suit — to fit
  12. chest — of your body
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pound — a weight
  18. net — after costs
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. net — in sport
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. rock — music
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. bore — gave birth

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