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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: temple · squash · nail · pitcher · saw · rule · toast · vault

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  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. saw — past of 'see'
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rule — a law
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. vault — a safe
  7. squash — to crush
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. toast — bread
  10. squash — the sport
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. saw — the tool
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. toast — the most admired
  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