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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: coach · toast · vault · chip · nail · rest · hide · sharp

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. sharp — clever
  3. chip — to eat
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. vault — a safe
  10. chip — for betting
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. toast — bread
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — a break
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rest — what's left
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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