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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: vault · ground · perch · bear · game · ruler · rule · bulb

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. vault — a safe
  7. ground — a position
  8. bulb — for light
  9. ground — the earth
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. perch — the fish
  13. rule — government
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. game — wild animals
  16. ground — crushed
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rule — a law
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. game — a match
  24. game — a kind of play

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