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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: ruler · date · vault · kick · race · present · fork · bay

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. date — the fruit
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. fork — in a road
  7. race — humankind
  8. present — the time now
  9. race — a contest
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. kick — in football
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. present — there
  22. present — a gift
  23. race — the arms race
  24. vault — a safe

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