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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. root — the cause
  4. cold — an illness
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. firm — a company
  7. vault — a safe
  8. bound — certain
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cold — not warm
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. firm — decided
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. track — a path
  15. track — a song
  16. root — of a word
  17. firm — steady
  18. root — of a plant
  19. bound — tied together
  20. craft — a skill
  21. craft — boats
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. track — to keep track
  24. bound — obliged

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