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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. vault — a safe
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rest — what's left
  5. hand — in cards
  6. shower — to wash
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bass — the fish
  10. rest — a break
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bass — low music
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. shower — rain
  23. foot — a measure
  24. bass — the instrument

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