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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: wake · saw · ruler · hide · bore · vault · clip · swing

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. saw — the tool
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. clip — to cut
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. swing — in golf
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. clip — for paper
  13. bore — to drill
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. saw — the tool
  16. swing — music
  17. vault — a safe
  18. swing — to play on
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. wake — a trail
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. clip — a video

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