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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: bound · bass · vault · ruler · game · mark · craft · nail

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. mark — a trace
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. bound — certain
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. craft — boats
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bass — the fish
  11. craft — a skill
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bound — tied together
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. game — a match
  19. bass — low music
  20. game — wild animals
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. vault — a safe
  24. ruler — for measuring

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