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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 116 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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. row — to paddle
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. squash — to crush
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fork — in a road
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. row — a line
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. squash — the sport

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