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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
468
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: stick · bore · vault · rock · land · spring · fan · band

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. land — ground
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. spring — the season
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. bore — to tire
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rock — music
  10. spring — a coil
  11. land — to come down
  12. rock — a stone
  13. spring — of water
  14. band — a ring
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. band — a music group
  21. land — a country
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. bore — to drill
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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