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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 116 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: spell · rule · wind · game · vault · stand · squash · rock

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. squash — to crush
  5. rock — music
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. spell — a short time
  8. vault — a safe
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. spell — letters
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rule — a law
  13. wind — moving air
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. rock — a stone
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. game — wild animals
  19. game — a match
  20. wind — moving air
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. spell — magic
  24. squash — the sport

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