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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: rush · straw · rest · racket · march · vault · firm · lean

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. march — the month
  5. rest — a break
  6. rush — hurry
  7. lean — thin
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. march — the month
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. lean — to bend
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. march — music
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — a company

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