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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: ruler · chair · wake · rule · root · vault

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. root — of a word
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. rule — a law
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. chair — a leader
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. rule — government
  10. root — of a plant
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. root — the cause
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. vault — a safe
  18. wake — a trail

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