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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. saw — the tool
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. saw — the tool
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. net — in sport
  14. spring — of water
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bark — to shout
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. vault — a safe
  19. pitch — completely
  20. spring — a coil
  21. net — for catching
  22. net — after costs
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. spring — the season

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