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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rule — government
  5. vault — a safe
  6. shower — rain
  7. drill — the tool
  8. bass — the fish
  9. drill — a practice
  10. bass — low music
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. drill — army training
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — a permit
  22. plane — a tool
  23. shower — to wash
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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