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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: board · vault · mark · rule · fork · current · squash · stick

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. current — of water
  3. current — electric
  4. board — to get on
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. squash — to crush
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. mark — a trace
  10. rule — a law
  11. vault — a safe
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. mark — a grade
  15. board — a committee
  16. fork — in a road
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. squash — the sport
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. current — happening now
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. rule — government

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