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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 116 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: swing · vault · kid · cabinet · race · ruler · pound · sharp

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. vault — a safe
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. race — a contest
  7. swing — music
  8. swing — in golf
  9. kid — child
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. swing — to play on
  14. kid — to tease
  15. race — the arms race
  16. sharp — clever
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. pound — a weight
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. race — humankind
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. sharp — with an edge

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