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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: squash · fork · straw · ruler · vault · bowl

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. fork — in a road
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. squash — to crush
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. vault — a safe
  18. fork — to eat with

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