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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: ruler · bay · temple · dip · fall · kid · vault · rock

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to sink
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. rock — music
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. kid — to tease
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fall — to drop
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. fall — the season
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. rock — a stone
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. kid — child

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