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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: key · rule · vault · season · rush · stick · leaves · bore

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. rule — a law
  3. bore — to tire
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. season — of the year
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. vault — a safe
  13. rule — government
  14. key — for a lock
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. key — in music
  17. bore — to drill
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. key — the most important part
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. season — in sport
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. rule — to rule out

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