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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: ruler · band · swing · rash · vault · object · pop · calf

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pop — to visit
  3. swing — to play on
  4. object — a thing
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. vault — a safe
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. band — a ring
  10. swing — in golf
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. band — a music group
  13. object — an aim
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. rash — hasty
  16. pop — soda
  17. object — to protest
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. swing — music
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pop — music
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. rash — a series
  24. band — a rubber band

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