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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: bat · vault · rush · ruler · cap · deal · lean · bear

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. rush — hurry
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. lean — thin
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. lean — to bend
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. cap — a lid
  13. bat — the animal
  14. cap — a hat
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. cap — of ice
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. deal — to handle
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. deal — a big deal

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