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

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. squash — the sport
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — certain
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. squash — to crush
  10. roll — a list
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. hand — help
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. hand — in cards
  19. bound — tied together
  20. wax — to grow
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. vault — a safe
  24. ruler — for measuring

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