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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 116 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: bowl · ruler · vault · row · last · race

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. last — finally
  3. last — final
  4. last — to go on
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. race — humankind
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. row — to paddle
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. row — a line
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. race — the arms race
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. vault — a safe
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. race — a contest

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