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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 · bear · vault · content · wave · bowl · temple · coach

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. bear — the animal
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. content — the amount
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. content — happy
  11. vault — a safe
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bear — the animal

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