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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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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: toast · chest · nail · vault · craft · ground · cabinet · wave

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. ground — the earth
  5. chest — a box
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. ground — a position
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. chest — of your body
  13. chest — of your body
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. ground — crushed
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. vault — a safe
  21. craft — a skill
  22. toast — bread
  23. craft — boats
  24. cabinet — ministers

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