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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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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: present · ruler · foot · lean · straw · nail · rest · vault

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. present — there
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. vault — a safe
  7. foot — a measure
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. present — the time now
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. present — a gift
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. rest — what's left
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rest — what's left
  19. lean — to bend
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. rest — a break
  23. lean — thin
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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