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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: vault · club · date · ball · ruler · leaves · lash · content

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. content — the amount
  10. date — the fruit
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. club — a group
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. content — happy
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — a safe
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. club — for golf
  21. club — for dancing
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a great time

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