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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  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. nail — on a finger
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. club — for dancing
  4. vault — a safe
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. club — for golf
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. last — to go on
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. branch — a division
  11. last — finally
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. charge — electricity
  14. last — final
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. craft — a skill
  18. charge — a price
  19. craft — boats
  20. club — a group
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. charge — in control
  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