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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: squash · fork · straw · ruler · vault · bowl · pitch · arm

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. squash — the sport
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. vault — a safe
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. squash — to crush
  15. pitch — completely
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. fork — in a road

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