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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: sharp · net · bulb · bore · foot · vault · stick · nail

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bore — to drill
  4. net — for catching
  5. sharp — clever
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to tire
  10. vault — a safe
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. net — in sport
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. foot — a measure
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. bulb — for light
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. net — after costs

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