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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: vault · prune · suit · kick · board · spell

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. vault — a safe
  4. kick — in football
  5. suit — in cards
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — to get on
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. suit — clothes
  13. prune — to trim
  14. spell — a short time
  15. suit — to fit
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. spell — magic
  18. board — a committee

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