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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 120 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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. club — a group
  8. bore — to tire
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. club — for golf
  11. club — for dancing
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. dip — to sink
  14. bore — to drill
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. fork — in a road
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. fork — to eat with

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