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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: bound · vault · club · hide · bay · rule · race · bear

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  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. bear — the animal
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. rule — a law
  4. bound — certain
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. race — the arms race
  8. race — a contest
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. race — humankind
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. club — for dancing
  15. bound — tied together
  16. club — for golf
  17. club — a group
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. rule — government
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. bear — to put up with
  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