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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 120 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: wake · vault · bowl · ruler · pit · clip

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. clip — a video
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. pit — in a race
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. pit — a hole
  15. clip — for paper
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — before a funeral

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