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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: racket · calf · rush · cabinet · arm · saw · rule · vault

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  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. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — hurry
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. rule — government
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. saw — the tool
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. saw — the tool
  22. rule — a law
  23. racket — a loud noise
  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