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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 116 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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. can — a tin
  4. last — to go on
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. last — finally
  7. wake — a trail
  8. face — to point toward
  9. bound — obliged
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. last — final
  12. rule — government
  13. face — to confront
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bound — tied together
  18. can — to be able to
  19. rule — a law
  20. face — part of the head
  21. vault — a safe
  22. bound — certain
  23. can — a tin
  24. prune — to trim

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