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

Word bank: bank · rule · object · swing · vault · court

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. object — a thing
  3. rule — a law
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. court — of law
  8. object — to protest
  9. court — for sport
  10. swing — music
  11. bank — of a river
  12. object — an aim
  13. bank — for money
  14. rule — government
  15. bank — for money
  16. vault — a safe
  17. swing — to play on
  18. swing — in golf

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