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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.

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: vault · bulb · spell · kick · staff · rash · band · rock

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  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. bulb — for light
  2. spell — letters
  3. band — a ring
  4. staff — a stick
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. kick — in football
  7. rock — a stone
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. rock — music
  10. bulb — for light
  11. spell — magic
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. rash — hasty
  14. vault — a safe
  15. staff — employees
  16. spell — a short time
  17. staff — employees
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. band — a music group
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rash — a series
  23. kick — with a leg
  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