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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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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: bat · board · hand · ruler · jam · swing · spell · vault

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bat — the animal
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. hand — help
  7. hand — in cards
  8. spell — a short time
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — to get on
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. swing — to play on
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. spell — letters
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. swing — in golf
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. swing — music
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. spell — magic
  24. jam — in traffic

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