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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
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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: rest · vault · hand · ruler · tube · craft · swing · fan

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. rest — what's left
  3. vault — a safe
  4. tube — a container
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rest — a break
  9. swing — to play on
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. rest — what's left
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. tube — the underground
  14. swing — in golf
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. swing — music
  17. hand — in cards
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. craft — a skill
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. craft — boats
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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