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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: suit · mug · date · ball · vault · scale · court · bore

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bore — to drill
  3. mug — to rob
  4. court — for sport
  5. court — of a king
  6. suit — in cards
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bore — to tire
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. mug — a face
  16. date — the fruit
  17. ball — a great time
  18. court — of law
  19. scale — size or range
  20. ball — a dance
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. scale — in music
  23. suit — clothes
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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