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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: rule · fine · bound · squash · season · hide · vault · dip

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. fine — all right
  3. rule — a law
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — a safe
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bound — certain
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. season — of the year
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. squash — the sport
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. season — in sport
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. fine — high quality
  20. rule — government
  21. squash — to crush
  22. bound — tied together
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. bound — obliged

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