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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: mate · spring · suit · arm · vault · mark · rule · court

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. rule — government
  3. court — of law
  4. vault — a safe
  5. mate — a partner
  6. suit — to fit
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. mate — a friend
  10. spring — the season
  11. rule — a law
  12. mark — a grade
  13. suit — clothes
  14. mate — to breed
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. spring — of water
  17. court — for sport
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. court — of a king
  20. spring — a coil
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. suit — in cards

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