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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. object — a thing
  6. row — to paddle
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. object — an aim
  11. drill — army training
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. object — to protest
  14. dip — to sink
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. drill — a practice
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. branch — a division
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. row — a line
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. drill — the tool
  24. ruler — a monarch

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