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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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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: mug · vault · nail · foot · kid · lie · pitcher · drill

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. kid — child
  4. drill — a practice
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mug — a face
  16. foot — a measure
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. vault — a safe
  19. kid — to tease
  20. lie — to recline
  21. mug — a cup
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. drill — the tool
  24. drill — army training

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