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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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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: bat · kid · board · calf · vault · ruler · land · fork

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. land — a country
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. kid — child
  8. board — a committee
  9. land — to come down
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. land — ground
  12. fork — in a road
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. kid — to tease
  15. vault — a safe
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. board — to get on
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bat — the animal
  24. board — a flat piece

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