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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: lash · court · squash · leaves · date · chip · bore · vault

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. chip — for betting
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. squash — the sport
  12. court — of a king
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. squash — to crush
  15. date — the fruit
  16. vault — a safe
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bore — to tire
  20. court — for sport
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. court — of law
  24. leaves — of a tree

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