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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: vault · chest · mate · nail · content · fine · lash · object

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. fine — high quality
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. object — a thing
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. chest — of your body
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. chest — of your body
  13. vault — a safe
  14. content — happy
  15. mate — a friend
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. mate — to breed
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. fine — all right
  20. content — the amount
  21. mate — a partner
  22. object — to protest
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. chest — a box

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