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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: vault · ruler · tear · row · current · nail

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. current — of water
  6. vault — a safe
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. tear — to rip
  10. tear — from crying
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. current — electric
  13. row — a line
  14. current — happening now
  15. row — to paddle
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. tear — from crying
  18. nail — for a hammer

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