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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: nail · cabinet · vault · present · foot · leaves · craft · rest

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. present — a gift
  4. foot — a measure
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. present — the time now
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rest — what's left
  15. present — there
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. vault — a safe
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. craft — a skill
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. leaves — to go away

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