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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: vault · roll · row · pass · ruler · hide · toast · object

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. object — a thing
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. object — to protest
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. pass — a permit
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. roll — a list
  16. row — a line
  17. row — to paddle
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. roll — a cake
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. toast — bread
  23. vault — a safe
  24. object — an aim

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