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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. fork — in a road
  4. prune — to trim
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. vault — a safe
  7. prune — to trim
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. charge — in control
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. charge — a price
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. charge — electricity
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. tube — a container
  19. bat — the animal
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. tube — the underground
  22. craft — a skill
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. craft — boats

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