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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mine · rush · vault · fine · pass · nail

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. pass — a permit
  8. rush — hurry
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. fine — high quality
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. vault — a safe
  17. mine — for digging
  18. 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