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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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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: ruler · rock · nail · craft · cold · suit · firm · vault

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  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. firm — steady
  2. firm — decided
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. firm — a company
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. suit — to fit
  7. rock — a stone
  8. suit — in cards
  9. craft — a skill
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. rock — music
  14. cold — an illness
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. craft — boats
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. suit — clothes
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. cold — not warm
  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