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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 116 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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. chip — for betting
  3. last — to go on
  4. last — finally
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. cell — in biology
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. pound — a weight
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. chip — to eat
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. craft — a skill
  16. craft — boats
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. vault — a safe
  22. cell — a phone
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. nail — for a hammer

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