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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: arm · board · perch · vault · rest · rule · bulb · object

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  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. rule — a law
  2. object — a thing
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. rest — what's left
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. rest — what's left
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rest — a break
  11. object — to protest
  12. board — to get on
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. perch — the fish
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. rule — government
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. object — an aim
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. vault — a safe
  22. board — a committee
  23. arm — a part of something
  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