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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. shower — rain
  3. saw — the tool
  4. track — a path
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. saw — the tool
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. track — a song
  16. key — in music
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. track — to keep track
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. shower — to wash
  21. key — the most important part
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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