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

Word bank: vault · nail · board · tube · straw · present · bowl · perch

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. tube — a container
  3. vault — a safe
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. present — there
  6. tube — the underground
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. perch — the fish
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. present — the time now
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. board — to get on
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. present — a gift

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