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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: track · vault · pit · nail · dip · date · bore · face

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — the fruit
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. dip — to sink
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. track — to keep track
  9. pit — in a race
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. face — to point toward
  16. vault — a safe
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to confront
  19. track — a song
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. bore — to tire
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. track — a path
  24. pit — a hole

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