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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: plane · vault · bulb · rule · board · wound · bear · kick

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. wound — an injury
  4. rule — government
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. kick — in football
  9. rule — a law
  10. bear — the animal
  11. board — a committee
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. plane — a tool
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. bear — the animal
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. board — to get on
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bulb — for light
  21. vault — a safe
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. kick — a thrill

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