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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: cell · bound · rash · pitcher · temple · deal · vault · prune

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. prune — to trim
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. prune — to trim
  9. deal — to handle
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bound — certain
  13. cell — in biology
  14. bound — tied together
  15. vault — a safe
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. bound — obliged
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. cell — a phone
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. rash — hasty

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