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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 120 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: squash · vault · branch · bound · pit · court · bear · ruler

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bound — obliged
  8. squash — to crush
  9. court — for sport
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pit — a hole
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. squash — the sport
  15. vault — a safe
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. court — of law
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. branch — a division
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. court — of a king

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