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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 · cell · object · fork · file · vault · dip · shower

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. object — an aim
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. shower — to wash
  7. vault — a safe
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. file — a line of people
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. object — a thing
  12. dip — to sink
  13. file — a tool
  14. cell — a phone
  15. cell — in biology
  16. file — a document
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. object — to protest
  21. shower — rain
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. fork — in a road
  24. fork — a garden tool

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