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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: vault · court · suit · current · bay · pit · ruler · game

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. game — wild animals
  5. current — electric
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. court — of law
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. current — of water
  10. suit — clothes
  11. court — of a king
  12. suit — to fit
  13. pit — a hole
  14. game — a match
  15. suit — in cards
  16. current — happening now
  17. court — for sport
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. game — a kind of play

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