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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: craft · vault · court · ruler · lash · rock

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — music
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a skill
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. court — of law
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. court — of a king
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. vault — a safe
  18. court — for sport

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