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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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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: vault · spell · club · pound · band · rest · rash · bay

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. rest — a break
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. band — a music group
  8. club — for golf
  9. rash — a series
  10. spell — a short time
  11. band — a ring
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. rash — hasty
  14. club — a group
  15. pound — a weight
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. club — for dancing
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. spell — letters
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. rest — what's left
  23. spell — magic
  24. vault — a safe

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