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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: net · racket · bear · bulb · rule · game · vault · trunk

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. net — after costs
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. game — wild animals
  11. bear — the animal
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. vault — a safe
  14. net — in sport
  15. rule — a law
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bulb — for light
  18. net — for catching
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. game — a match
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. bear — the animal
  24. racket — for tennis

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