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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: game · bowl · spell · present · tube · mark · rule · vault

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. present — there
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. present — a gift
  7. game — a match
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — a law
  10. tube — a container
  11. vault — a safe
  12. spell — magic
  13. tube — the underground
  14. spell — letters
  15. mark — a trace
  16. game — wild animals
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. rule — government
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. spell — a short time
  21. mark — a grade
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. bowl — to roll

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