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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: present · clip · pass · ruler · plane · vault · pitcher · straw

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. pass — a permit
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. clip — for paper
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. plane — a tool
  9. vault — a safe
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. present — there
  15. present — the time now
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. clip — to cut
  19. present — a gift
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. clip — a video

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