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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: rule · vault · wake · ruler · jam · fine · chip · chest

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. rule — a law
  6. chest — a box
  7. vault — a safe
  8. fine — all right
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. chest — of your body
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. wake — a trail
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. fine — high quality
  15. rule — government
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chip — to eat
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. jam — a tight spot

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