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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 120 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: rash · spell · vault · calf · snap · band · board · lean

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. board — a committee
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. rash — hasty
  5. spell — a short time
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. spell — magic
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. spell — letters
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. lean — to bend
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. rash — a series
  14. board — to get on
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. snap — to click
  19. lean — thin
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. band — a music group
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. band — a ring

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