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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: mark · date · vault · march · rush · wound · suit · lie

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. mark — a grade
  4. suit — to fit
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. march — the month
  8. suit — in cards
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. rush — hurry
  14. lie — to recline
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. vault — a safe
  17. suit — clothes
  18. mark — a trace
  19. wound — an injury
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. wound — an injury
  22. march — the month
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. date — the fruit

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