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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: fine · ruler · clip · lie · wave · wound · date · vault

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. vault — a safe
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. lie — to recline
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. fine — high quality
  9. wound — an injury
  10. date — the fruit
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fine — all right
  14. clip — to cut
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. wound — an injury
  18. clip — for paper
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. clip — a video

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