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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 · present · bear · craft · shower · fall · hide · ruler

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. present — there
  4. bear — the animal
  5. shower — to wash
  6. shower — rain
  7. fall — the season
  8. present — a gift
  9. craft — a skill
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. fall — to drop
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. fall — to drop
  15. present — the time now
  16. bear — the animal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. craft — boats
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. hide — to keep secret

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