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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: dip · arm · rule · swing · vault · band · craft · rock

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a music group
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. rock — a stone
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. dip — to sink
  10. rock — music
  11. swing — in golf
  12. vault — a safe
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — boats
  16. rule — government
  17. swing — music
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. craft — a skill
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. swing — to play on
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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