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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 · stand · bound · band · race · rule · suit · drill

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. race — humankind
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bound — obliged
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. vault — a safe
  10. drill — the tool
  11. stand — to bear
  12. band — a ring
  13. race — the arms race
  14. suit — to fit
  15. race — a contest
  16. bound — tied together
  17. drill — a practice
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. rule — government
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. suit — clothes
  22. band — a music group
  23. bound — certain
  24. drill — army training

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