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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: temple · rule · ball · ruler · band · chip · bulb · vault

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. vault — a safe
  3. rule — government
  4. bulb — for light
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. chip — to eat
  15. band — a music group
  16. rule — a law
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. band — a ring
  19. chip — for betting
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rule — to rule out

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