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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: snap · rule · squash · vault · foot · rush · board · racket

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. foot — a measure
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — a law
  6. squash — the sport
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. squash — to crush
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. rush — hurry
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. board — to get on
  20. rule — government
  21. vault — a safe
  22. board — a committee
  23. snap — to click
  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