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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: mate · nail · craft · land · vault · date · dip · rash

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. craft — boats
  4. rash — hasty
  5. dip — to sink
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. land — ground
  10. mate — a partner
  11. land — to come down
  12. land — a country
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. mate — to breed
  15. rash — a series
  16. date — the fruit
  17. mate — a friend
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — a skill
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. vault — a safe

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