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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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Word bank
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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: vault · saw · hide · ruler · wind · calf

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wind — moving air
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. saw — the tool
  8. vault — a safe
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. wind — moving air
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. saw — the tool
  18. vault — an arched ceiling

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