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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. band — a ring
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. saw — the tool
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. game — a match
  9. band — a music group
  10. fork — in a road
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. game — wild animals
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. saw — the tool
  24. vault — a safe

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