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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 · ruler · kick · degree · bank · date · rule · mate

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bank — of a river
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. degree — from a university
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. kick — in football
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. bank — for money
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. degree — an amount
  14. degree — temperature
  15. rule — a law
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. mate — a friend
  18. date — the fruit
  19. bank — for money
  20. vault — a safe
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mate — to breed
  24. date — on the calendar

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