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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: saw · bay · press · vault · ruler · kick

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  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. vault — a safe
  2. saw — the tool
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. saw — the tool
  5. kick — in football
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. press — to push
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. press — a publisher
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. press — newspapers
  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