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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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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: calf · field · rule · rash · mate · cabinet · vault · last

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. field — a subject
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. vault — a safe
  7. rule — government
  8. last — final
  9. rule — a law
  10. rash — a series
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mate — to breed
  16. mate — a friend
  17. rash — hasty
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. mate — a partner
  20. last — to go on
  21. last — finally
  22. field — for sport
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. field — farmland

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