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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: nail · clip · cell · cap · ruler · land · vault · coach

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. vault — a safe
  3. cap — a lid
  4. land — ground
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. clip — for paper
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. clip — to cut
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. cap — of ice
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. cell — a phone
  15. land — to come down
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. cap — a hat
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. land — a country
  20. clip — a video
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. ruler — for measuring

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