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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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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: vault · object · rash · net · sharp · ruler · pitch · bound

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. object — to protest
  3. bound — obliged
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. object — a thing
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. vault — a safe
  13. net — in sport
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. bound — certain
  16. pitch — completely
  17. rash — hasty
  18. sharp — clever
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. rash — a series
  21. net — after costs
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. object — an aim
  24. net — for catching

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