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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rule — a law
  3. vault — a safe
  4. ground — a position
  5. cap — of ice
  6. bank — of a river
  7. cap — a hat
  8. drill — the tool
  9. net — after costs
  10. rule — government
  11. net — for catching
  12. ground — the earth
  13. fine — high quality
  14. bank — for money
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. cap — a lid
  17. net — in sport
  18. drill — a practice
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — all right
  21. drill — army training
  22. bank — for money
  23. ground — crushed
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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