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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 116 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: kick · vault · rock · wind · band · mouse

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. vault — a safe
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wind — moving air
  9. rock — a stone
  10. kick — in football
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. band — a ring
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. rock — music
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. wind — moving air
  17. band — a music group
  18. kick — a thrill

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