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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. hand — in cards
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. staff — employees
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. firm — decided
  7. chip — for betting
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. last — finally
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. vault — a safe
  12. staff — a stick
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. staff — employees
  15. saw — the tool
  16. last — final
  17. firm — steady
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. last — to go on
  21. firm — a company
  22. saw — the tool
  23. chip — to eat
  24. hand — help

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