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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 116 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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Word bank
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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: nail · vault · racket · ruler · straw · cabinet · fine · content

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. vault — a safe
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. content — happy
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — all right
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. content — the amount
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. content — videos and posts

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