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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: ruler · leaves · foot · race · wound · vault

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. race — humankind
  3. wound — an injury
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — a safe
  6. race — a contest
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. race — the arms race
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. foot — a measure
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. wound — an injury
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. wound — past of 'wind'

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