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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: band · rush · lie · chair · bark · staff · rule · vault

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. staff — a stick
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. chair — a leader
  6. staff — employees
  7. band — a music group
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. rule — government
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — to recline
  14. rule — a law
  15. bark — to shout
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. vault — a safe
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. staff — employees
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. band — a ring
  24. rush — hurry

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