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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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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 · fork · bound · lash · nail · tube · band · vault

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bound — obliged
  4. band — a ring
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. fork — in a road
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — a safe
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. bound — certain
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bound — tied together
  16. tube — the underground
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. tube — a container
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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