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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 · wound · bore · ruler · nail · ball · hide · file

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wound — an injury
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. wound — an injury
  9. file — a line of people
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bore — to tire
  12. ball — a great time
  13. file — a tool
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. file — a document
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bore — to drill
  20. ball — a dance
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. ruler — a monarch

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