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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 120 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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. net — after costs
  6. shower — to wash
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — a skill
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. net — for catching
  19. shower — rain
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. fine — high quality
  23. vault — a safe
  24. fine — all right

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