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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. toast — bread
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. bass — low music
  12. lean — to bend
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. deal — to handle
  18. bass — the fish
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. lean — thin

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