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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: ruler · roll · fan · fall · bore · track · rule · vault

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. rule — government
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. track — a song
  9. vault — a safe
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. roll — a cake
  13. fall — the season
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. rule — a law
  16. roll — a list
  17. bore — to tire
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. bore — to drill
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. track — to keep track
  24. fall — to drop

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