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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: ruler · lie · club · vault · board · foot

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. club — a group
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. vault — a safe
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. club — for dancing
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. lie — to recline
  12. board — to get on
  13. foot — a measure
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. board — a committee

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