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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ruler · straw · ball · shower · can · game · vault · nail

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. shower — to wash
  4. ball — a dance
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. can — a tin
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. ball — a great time
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. shower — rain
  15. can — to be able to
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. game — wild animals
  22. vault — a safe
  23. can — a tin
  24. ruler — a monarch

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