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

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — to fit
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. rule — a law
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. land — to come down
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. land — ground
  16. saw — the tool
  17. rule — government
  18. ball — a dance
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. suit — in cards
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. ball — a great time
  23. land — a country
  24. saw — the tool

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