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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: bay · rule · ruler · bowl · stock · vault

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. stock — goods
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. rule — a law
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. vault — a safe
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. stock — shares
  18. rule — government

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