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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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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 · stock · rush · shower · vault · calf · ground · chip

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. vault — a safe
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. rush — hurry
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. chip — for betting
  7. track — a path
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. shower — to wash
  10. chip — to eat
  11. ground — crushed
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. track — to keep track
  16. ground — a position
  17. track — a song
  18. stock — shares
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stock — goods
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. ground — the earth
  24. chip — in a computer

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