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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: vault · board · object · bear · jam · roll · rule · rash

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. rash — a series
  4. object — to protest
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. roll — a list
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. roll — a cake
  11. object — an aim
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — a law
  16. board — a committee
  17. rash — hasty
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. vault — a safe
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. object — a thing
  24. bear — the animal

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