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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: prune · field · mouse · rock · vault · board · spell · mine

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — letters
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. field — for sport
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. vault — a safe
  7. field — farmland
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. rock — music
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. field — a subject
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. board — a committee
  17. mine — for digging
  18. board — to get on
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. prune — to trim
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rock — a stone
  24. spell — a short time

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