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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bank — of a river
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bank — for money
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mine — for digging
  12. rush — hurry
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bank — for money
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. vault — a safe
  20. bat — the animal
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. bat — for baseball

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