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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: racket · current · vault · calf · lie · squash · spell · band

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. current — electric
  3. spell — a short time
  4. band — a music group
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. band — a ring
  7. squash — the sport
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. lie — to recline
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. current — of water
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. current — happening now
  17. squash — to crush
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. vault — a safe
  22. spell — magic
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. spell — letters

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