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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. pass — a permit
  6. chest — a box
  7. chest — of your body
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. stock — shares
  12. season — of the year
  13. season — in sport
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. current — happening now
  17. vault — a safe
  18. current — of water
  19. stock — goods
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. chest — of your body
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. current — electric

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