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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 120 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: ruler · track · vault · bore · wake · rock · pass · rule

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rule — a law
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. vault — a safe
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. track — a path
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. rule — government
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rock — a stone
  18. track — a song
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bore — to drill
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bore — to tire
  24. rock — music

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