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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: current · arm · ruler · vault · bay · present

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. vault — a safe
  4. present — the time now
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. current — of water
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. current — electric
  9. current — happening now
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. present — there
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. present — a gift
  18. ruler — a monarch

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