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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bore · ruler · vault · coach · fine · snap · rush · pitcher

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bore — to drill
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bore — to tire
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. fine — all right
  21. snap — to click
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. vault — a safe
  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