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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bulb · branch · vault · wave · last · date · ruler · spell

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  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. vault — a safe
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — letters
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. branch — a division
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. last — finally
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. last — final
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. last — to go on
  21. bulb — for light
  22. date — the fruit
  23. branch — of a bank
  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