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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: rule · wound · board · court · ruler · rush · bulb · vault

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. court — of a king
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. court — of law
  8. rule — government
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. wound — an injury
  11. rush — hurry
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. court — for sport
  15. board — to get on
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rule — a law
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. vault — a safe
  23. board — a committee
  24. bulb — for light

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