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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: kick · cue · roll · bore · vault · ruler · track · game

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. game — a match
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. roll — a cake
  5. kick — in football
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. cue — for pool
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. roll — a list
  13. cue — a hint
  14. bore — to tire
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. vault — a safe
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. cue — a signal
  19. track — a song
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. track — a path
  22. game — wild animals
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bore — gave birth

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