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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. last — finally
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. object — a thing
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. craft — a skill
  7. chip — to eat
  8. craft — boats
  9. vault — a safe
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. object — an aim
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. chip — for betting
  17. last — final
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. last — to go on
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. hide — to keep secret

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