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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: suit · stock · ground · race · rush · vault · file · rule

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  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. suit — clothes
  2. ground — the earth
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. file — a tool
  5. rule — a law
  6. file — a line of people
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. rush — hurry
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. file — a document
  12. vault — a safe
  13. stock — goods
  14. race — humankind
  15. rule — government
  16. stock — shares
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. ground — crushed
  19. race — a contest
  20. race — the arms race
  21. suit — to fit
  22. ground — a position
  23. suit — in cards
  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