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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: bound · pitch · spell · fall · ruler · wake · vault · rest

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. spell — letters
  4. fall — to drop
  5. wake — a trail
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bound — tied together
  8. spell — a short time
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. fall — to drop
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. bound — certain
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bound — obliged
  16. rest — what's left
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. fall — the season
  21. spell — magic
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. vault — a safe
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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