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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 · vault · saw · board · clip · suit · hand · bass

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. clip — for paper
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. hand — help
  6. clip — a video
  7. suit — clothes
  8. saw — the tool
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. vault — a safe
  12. clip — to cut
  13. board — a committee
  14. saw — the tool
  15. hand — in cards
  16. bass — low music
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bass — the fish
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. suit — to fit
  21. board — to get on
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. ruler — a monarch

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