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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 120 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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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 · pit · bound · bay · prune · vault · chest · rock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bound — certain
  3. vault — a safe
  4. pit — a hole
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. rock — music
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. chest — of your body
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. chest — of your body
  17. bound — tied together
  18. prune — to trim
  19. chest — a box
  20. pit — in a race
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bound — obliged
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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