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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: bank · rule · object · swing · vault · court · cabinet · kick

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. kick — in football
  4. swing — in golf
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. object — to protest
  7. object — an aim
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. court — for sport
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. swing — to play on
  12. bank — of a river
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rule — government
  16. court — of law
  17. bank — for money
  18. swing — music
  19. rule — a law
  20. object — a thing
  21. bank — for money
  22. court — of a king
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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