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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: ruler · nail · firm · craft · wound · vault

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — an injury
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. craft — boats
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — a company
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. vault — a safe
  13. craft — a skill
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. craft — a handicraft

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