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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. vault — a safe
  4. mark — a grade
  5. rule — government
  6. court — of law
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. rule — a law
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. craft — a skill
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. scale — in music
  13. court — of a king
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. mark — a trace
  18. court — for sport
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. craft — boats
  24. scale — size or range

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