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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 120 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
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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: ruler · cabinet · sharp · bay · bat · leaves · ball · vault

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. vault — a safe
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. bat — the animal
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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