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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: temple · mouse · band · vault · rush · wax · rule · plane

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. rush — hurry
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. vault — a safe
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rule — government
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. plane — a tool
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. wax — to grow
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rule — a law
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. band — a ring
  24. band — a music group

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