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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: ruler · temple · rash · spell · cap · fine · branch · vault

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. rash — hasty
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cap — a hat
  5. spell — a short time
  6. fine — high quality
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. cap — of ice
  9. rash — a series
  10. vault — a safe
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. spell — magic
  14. fine — all right
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. spell — letters
  20. branch — a division
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. cap — a lid

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