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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: date · bore · jam · ball · roll · board · vault · scale

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bore — to tire
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. vault — a safe
  9. roll — a list
  10. scale — size or range
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. board — to get on
  13. board — a committee
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. roll — a cake
  16. ball — a dance
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. date — the fruit
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bore — to drill
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. scale — in music
  24. ball — a great time

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