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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: current · hand · vault · fall · mug · mark · dip · nail

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. hand — help
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. hand — in cards
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mug — a cup
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. fall — to drop
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mug — a face
  12. current — electric
  13. fall — the season
  14. current — happening now
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. dip — to sink
  17. current — of water
  18. vault — a safe
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a trace
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. fall — to drop
  24. mug — to rob

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