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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. vault — a safe
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. chest — of your body
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rule — a law
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. chest — a box
  11. lie — to recline
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rule — government
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. chest — of your body
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. lie — an untruth

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