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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: band · pound · ruler · mark · vault · content

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. 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. content — videos and posts
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. band — a music group
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. mark — a grade
  8. content — the amount
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. mark — a trace
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. band — a ring
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. content — happy
  18. 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