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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 · mark · toast · vault · kick · firm

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. vault — a safe
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. firm — a company
  9. mark — a trace
  10. toast — bread
  11. kick — in football
  12. mark — a grade
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. firm — decided
  18. kick — with a leg

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