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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 120 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: spring · ruler · cue · wake · nail · vault · sharp · foot

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. spring — of water
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. spring — the season
  6. spring — a coil
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. vault — a safe
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. sharp — clever
  13. cue — a hint
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. foot — a measure
  16. wake — a trail
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. cue — a signal
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. cue — for pool
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. sharp — with an edge

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