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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: vault · swing · object · rock · rule · toast · pound · net

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. rock — music
  3. net — after costs
  4. net — for catching
  5. swing — to play on
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. swing — music
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. object — an aim
  13. object — a thing
  14. swing — in golf
  15. object — to protest
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. vault — a safe
  19. pound — a weight
  20. rock — a stone
  21. net — in sport
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. toast — bread
  24. rule — a law

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