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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: patient · ruler · vault · present · straw · nail

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. vault — a safe
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. present — the time now
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. present — there
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. present — a gift

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