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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: bound · vault · object · fall · temple · coach · spell · rule

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. object — a thing
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. spell — a short time
  5. object — to protest
  6. rule — a law
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. rule — government
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. fall — the season
  11. bound — certain
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. fall — to drop
  15. vault — a safe
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bound — obliged
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bound — tied together
  21. spell — magic
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. spell — letters
  24. object — an aim

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