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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.

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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: band · ruler · mug · court · hand · vault · lean · chip

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. band — a ring
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. band — a music group
  6. court — for sport
  7. mug — a cup
  8. hand — in cards
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chip — for betting
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mug — to rob
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lean — thin
  15. court — of law
  16. mug — a face
  17. lean — to bend
  18. hand — help
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. court — of a king
  24. ruler — for measuring

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