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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: rule · chip · rush · stand · vault · root · ball · straw

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. rule — a law
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. root — the cause
  12. rule — government
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chip — for betting
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. ball — a great time
  18. root — of a word
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. vault — a safe
  23. root — of a plant
  24. straw — a straw man

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