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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: rash · track · bay · last · suit · vault · spell · ruler

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. spell — a short time
  5. rash — hasty
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. suit — in cards
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. rash — a series
  13. spell — magic
  14. track — a song
  15. spell — letters
  16. suit — clothes
  17. last — to go on
  18. vault — a safe
  19. track — to keep track
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. track — a path
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. last — final

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