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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. roll — a list
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. bore — to drill
  10. face — part of the head
  11. vault — a safe
  12. face — to point toward
  13. roll — a cake
  14. lean — thin
  15. face — to confront
  16. kid — to tease
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. lean — to bend
  21. fork — in a road
  22. bore — to tire
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. kid — child

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