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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: stick · bound · court · object · bay · vault · band · season

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. object — a thing
  3. vault — a safe
  4. season — of the year
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. court — of a king
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. band — a music group
  11. season — in sport
  12. object — to protest
  13. bound — certain
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bound — obliged
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. band — a ring
  20. court — of law
  21. bound — tied together
  22. court — for sport
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. season — to add flavour

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