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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. net — for catching
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. net — after costs
  11. degree — an amount
  12. bore — to tire
  13. degree — from a university
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. roll — a cake
  16. perch — the fish
  17. net — in sport
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. roll — a list
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. degree — temperature
  24. bore — to drill

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