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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 124 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: content · nail · coach · vault · lash · staff

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. staff — a stick
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. staff — employees
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. content — happy
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. vault — a safe
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. staff — employees
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. content — the amount

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