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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: rock · wave · vault · dip · ruler · kid · drill · court

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. rock — a stone
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. court — of a king
  6. drill — army training
  7. dip — to sink
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. court — for sport
  10. court — of law
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. kid — child
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. vault — a safe
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rock — music
  18. drill — a practice
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. kid — to tease
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. dip — a sauce

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