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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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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: bulb · vault · court · rush · hide · rule · bowl · ruler

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rule — a law
  3. rule — government
  4. bulb — for light
  5. court — of a king
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. court — of law
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. court — for sport
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bulb — for light
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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