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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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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: ground · rest · hide · squash · patient · perch · vault · ruler

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. rest — what's left
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. ground — crushed
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. squash — the sport
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. perch — the fish
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. squash — to crush
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. ground — a position
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. ground — the earth
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. vault — a safe

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