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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 120 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: swing · board · mate · pass · pound · rule · vault · bulb

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. rule — government
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — a permit
  8. swing — to play on
  9. vault — a safe
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mate — a partner
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. board — to get on
  15. swing — in golf
  16. pound — a weight
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. swing — music
  20. board — a committee
  21. rule — a law
  22. mate — to breed
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. bulb — for light

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