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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: craft · nail · pitcher · row · bass · mine · vault · ruler

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  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. row — to paddle
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mine — for digging
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. craft — boats
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. bass — low music
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bass — the fish
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. row — a line
  21. vault — a safe
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. craft — a skill
  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