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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
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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: stem · vault · press · nail · rash · saw · toast · staff

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. saw — the tool
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. press — a publisher
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. rash — a series
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. press — newspapers
  14. rash — hasty
  15. staff — a stick
  16. vault — a safe
  17. stem — to come from
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. toast — bread
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. press — to push

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