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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 · suit · bulb · lie · stick · rule · present · bound

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. vault — a safe
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rule — a law
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. lie — to recline
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bulb — for light
  10. present — there
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bound — certain
  14. suit — to fit
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. suit — in cards
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bound — obliged
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bound — tied together
  21. present — the time now
  22. rule — government
  23. present — a gift
  24. rule — to rule out

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