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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: spell · vault · ruler · band · field · rest

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. field — a subject
  6. band — a ring
  7. spell — letters
  8. spell — magic
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. field — for sport
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. band — a music group
  13. rest — what's left
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. spell — a short time
  16. vault — a safe
  17. field — farmland
  18. vault — an arched ceiling

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