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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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Word bank
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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: spell · mug · cell · vault · rule · dip

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. mug — a cup
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. mug — to rob
  6. spell — a short time
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. rule — government
  11. mug — a face
  12. vault — a safe
  13. dip — to sink
  14. cell — in biology
  15. cell — a phone
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — magic
  18. rule — to rule out

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