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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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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: pop · object · vault · hand · rule · season · date · saw

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. date — the fruit
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. saw — the tool
  7. object — a thing
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. pop — to visit
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rule — a law
  13. object — to protest
  14. vault — a safe
  15. season — of the year
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. pop — music
  19. pop — soda
  20. rule — government
  21. season — in sport
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. hand — in cards
  24. object — an aim

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