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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.

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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: bear · nail · lean · firm · dip · object · mark · vault

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. mark — a trace
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — decided
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bear — the animal
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. lean — to bend
  12. object — a thing
  13. lean — thin
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. object — to protest
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a grade
  19. dip — to sink
  20. object — an aim
  21. bear — the animal
  22. firm — a company
  23. vault — a safe
  24. nail — for a hammer

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