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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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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: lie · mate · nail · vault · rule · jam · rush · game

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. rule — government
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. game — wild animals
  7. vault — a safe
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. mate — a friend
  11. rush — hurry
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mate — a partner
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. mate — to breed
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. game — a match
  21. rule — a law
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. lie — to recline
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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