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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: pit · rule · vault · nail · ruler · jam

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rule — government
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. pit — in a race
  12. vault — a safe
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. rule — a law
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. jam — to spread on bread

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