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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: fan · board · vault · rule · hand · bound · ruler · squash

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. hand — in cards
  3. bound — certain
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. rule — government
  6. board — to get on
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. squash — the sport
  10. rule — a law
  11. bound — tied together
  12. squash — to crush
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. board — a committee
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. hand — help
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. bound — obliged
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. vault — a safe

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