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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: nail · vault · saw · file · pound · cell · tube · craft

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. tube — a container
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. cell — in biology
  6. file — a document
  7. cell — a phone
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. craft — a skill
  14. file — a line of people
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. vault — a safe
  19. pound — a weight
  20. file — a tool
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. craft — boats
  24. pound — for dogs

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