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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: date · tube · suit · vault · calf · current · band · kick

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. band — a ring
  3. suit — clothes
  4. kick — in football
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — of water
  7. date — the fruit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. current — electric
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. suit — to fit
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. tube — the underground
  15. tube — a container
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. vault — a safe
  20. band — a music group
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. tube — in a tire

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