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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. object — a thing
  3. object — an aim
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. hand — help
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. stem — to come from
  12. perch — the fish
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. vault — a safe
  17. saw — the tool
  18. band — a ring
  19. saw — the tool
  20. band — a music group
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. object — to protest

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