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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: ruler · patient · charge · nail · racket · vault · straw · lie

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. vault — a safe
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — electricity
  18. lie — to recline
  19. charge — a price
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. nail — for a hammer

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