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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: hand · ruler · vault · drill · lean · chip · root · tear

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  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 — an arched ceiling
  2. drill — a practice
  3. hand — in cards
  4. lean — thin
  5. chip — for betting
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. drill — army training
  8. drill — the tool
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. hand — help
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. tear — from crying
  13. root — the cause
  14. chip — to eat
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. root — of a word
  17. lean — to bend
  18. vault — a safe
  19. tear — from crying
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. root — of a plant
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. tear — to rip
  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