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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: club · cabinet · prune · vault · pass · saw · lie · rule

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. club — for dancing
  5. club — for golf
  6. prune — to trim
  7. lie — to recline
  8. rule — government
  9. vault — a safe
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. saw — the tool
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. saw — the tool
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. rule — a law
  24. club — a group

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