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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: vault · hide · coach · wave · land · last · bass · nail

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  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. hide — animal skin
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. last — to go on
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bass — low music
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. land — a country
  11. last — final
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bass — the fish
  14. land — to come down
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. last — finally
  23. land — ground
  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