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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: mouse · vault · bowl · craft · ruler · chest

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. vault — a safe
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. chest — of your body
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. chest — a box
  13. chest — of your body
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. craft — a skill
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bowl — a football final

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