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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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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: racket · vault · cue · shower · degree · bound · mouse · rule

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. shower — rain
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rule — government
  5. vault — a safe
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. bound — tied together
  8. rule — a law
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. cue — for pool
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. cue — a hint
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bound — certain
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. degree — an amount
  19. degree — from a university
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. cue — a signal
  23. degree — temperature
  24. shower — to wash

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