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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: perch · object · vault · club · pound · rush · chair · stock

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. club — a group
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. club — for dancing
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. stock — goods
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — to protest
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. object — an aim
  12. perch — the fish
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. club — for golf
  17. pound — a weight
  18. rush — hurry
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. chair — a leader
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. vault — a safe

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