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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: chest · foot · coach · hide · ruler · vault

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. chest — a box
  4. vault — a safe
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. chest — of your body
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. foot — a measure
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. chest — of your body

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