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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bore · temple · club · can · court · ruler · vault · sharp

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. court — for sport
  3. can — to be able to
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. can — a tin
  8. court — of a king
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. club — for golf
  14. bore — to drill
  15. club — a group
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. sharp — clever
  20. can — a tin
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. court — of law
  23. club — for dancing
  24. bore — to tire

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