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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. saw — the tool
  6. court — of law
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. land — to come down
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. court — of a king
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. court — for sport
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. land — ground
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. land — a country
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. foot — a measure
  24. vault — a safe

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