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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: ruler · vault · fall · craft · lean · row

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. fall — the season
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fall — to drop
  6. craft — a skill
  7. vault — a safe
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. row — to paddle
  10. craft — boats
  11. fall — to drop
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. lean — thin
  15. lean — to bend
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. row — a line
  18. lean — to rest against

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