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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: object · last · vault · toast · stock · mug · nail · net

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. vault — a safe
  5. last — to go on
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mug — a cup
  9. net — for catching
  10. object — an aim
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. object — a thing
  13. net — after costs
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. last — final
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. object — to protest
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. stock — shares
  20. net — in sport
  21. last — finally
  22. stock — goods
  23. toast — bread
  24. mug — a face

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