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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: bore · firm · object · mate · arm · roll · vault · mine

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. mine — for digging
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. object — to protest
  7. mate — a friend
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. firm — steady
  10. vault — a safe
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. firm — a company
  13. mate — a partner
  14. object — an aim
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. roll — a list
  19. mate — to breed
  20. roll — a cake
  21. bore — to tire
  22. object — a thing
  23. bore — to drill
  24. firm — decided

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