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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: bass · court · vault · rush · charge · ruler · pit · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  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. bore — gave birth
  2. court — of law
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bass — the fish
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. pit — a hole
  8. charge — in control
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. charge — electricity
  12. court — for sport
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bass — low music
  17. court — of a king
  18. bore — to drill
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. vault — a safe
  22. rush — hurry
  23. charge — a price
  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