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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: lean · vault · racket · rule · snap · rush · arm · toast

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. rule — a law
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. lean — thin
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. rule — government
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. rush — hurry
  13. toast — bread
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. vault — a safe
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. lean — to bend
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. racket — a loud noise

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