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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  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. vault — in gymnastics
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bore — to drill
  5. suit — clothes
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. band — a music group
  11. clip — to cut
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. ball — a dance
  14. clip — a video
  15. suit — to fit
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. band — a ring
  18. kick — in football
  19. bore — to tire
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. chip — to eat
  22. chip — for betting
  23. clip — for paper
  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