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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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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 · fork · band · ruler · toast · temple

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. band — a music group
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. toast — bread
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. band — a ring
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. vault — a safe
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. band — a rubber band

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