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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: pound · vault · lash · bound · ground · ruler · bore · club

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. club — for golf
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. vault — a safe
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. ground — the earth
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. bore — to tire
  12. club — for dancing
  13. bound — tied together
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. ground — crushed
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bore — to drill
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. ground — a position
  21. bound — certain
  22. club — a group
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. pound — a weight

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