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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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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: net · chair · toast · staff · row · vault · ruler · saw

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  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. row — a line
  2. net — after costs
  3. row — to paddle
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. staff — employees
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. saw — the tool
  10. net — for catching
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. chair — a leader
  14. vault — a safe
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. net — in sport
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. staff — employees
  21. toast — bread
  22. staff — a stick
  23. saw — the tool
  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