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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: swing · straw · firm · ruler · nail · vault

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. firm — a company
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. swing — music
  13. swing — to play on
  14. vault — a safe
  15. firm — steady
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. swing — in golf
  18. nail — for a hammer

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