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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. rule — government
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bound — certain
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bound — obliged
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bear — the animal
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. lie — to recline
  17. squash — to crush
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. rule — a law
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bound — tied together
  24. vault — a safe

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