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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: hand · sharp · vault · hide · fan · leaves · net · ruler

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. net — for catching
  7. vault — a safe
  8. hand — help
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. net — in sport
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hand — in cards
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — clever
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. net — after costs
  24. ruler — for measuring

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