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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: wind · ruler · vault · craft · racket · firm · prune · key

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. key — in music
  3. firm — steady
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. wind — moving air
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. vault — a safe
  9. craft — a skill
  10. craft — boats
  11. wind — moving air
  12. key — for a lock
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — to trim
  17. key — the most important part
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — decided
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. racket — for tennis

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