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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 · nail · drill · vault · tear · stick · rush · object

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rule — government
  5. drill — a practice
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. object — to protest
  9. object — a thing
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. drill — army training
  12. drill — the tool
  13. tear — to rip
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rule — a law
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. tear — from crying
  19. vault — a safe
  20. object — an aim
  21. tear — from crying
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. nail — on a finger

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