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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.

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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: dip · ruler · rock · pop · game · vault · fall · net

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rock — a stone
  3. fall — to drop
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. rock — music
  6. fall — to drop
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. net — after costs
  9. pop — soda
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. net — in sport
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. vault — a safe
  16. pop — to visit
  17. dip — to sink
  18. game — wild animals
  19. fall — the season
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. game — a match
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. pop — music
  24. net — for catching

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