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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 · vault · roll · dip · temple · net · bore · straw

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. roll — a cake
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. net — for catching
  7. roll — a list
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. net — in sport
  16. dip — to sink
  17. vault — a safe
  18. bore — to drill
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. net — after costs
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. bore — gave birth

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