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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: vault · cold · arm · dip · rule · stick

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. dip — to sink
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. vault — a safe
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. rule — a law
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. cold — not warm
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rule — government
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. cold — an illness

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