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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: squash · bore · temple · fan · vault · ball · rule · cabinet

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. bore — to tire
  6. ball — a dance
  7. vault — a safe
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rule — government
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. squash — to crush
  22. rule — a law
  23. squash — the sport
  24. cabinet — ministers

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