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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: lie · vault · cabinet · bat · rule · ruler

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. 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. bat — in an idiom
  2. vault — a safe
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bat — the animal
  8. rule — a law
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rule — government
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. lie — to recline
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. 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