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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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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: staff · mate · pitcher · rule · vault · mug · roll · fine

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. fine — high quality
  4. staff — a stick
  5. mate — to breed
  6. roll — a list
  7. rule — government
  8. staff — employees
  9. vault — a safe
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mug — a cup
  14. fine — all right
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mug — a face
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. roll — a cake
  21. staff — employees
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. rule — a law

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