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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: rule · arm · swing · vault · clip · pass

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. clip — a video
  4. rule — government
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. clip — for paper
  11. swing — in golf
  12. vault — a safe
  13. clip — to cut
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. rule — a law
  16. swing — to play on
  17. swing — music
  18. arm — a part of something

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