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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
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: mine · straw · firm · vault · object · season · nail · perch

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. mine — for digging
  3. object — an aim
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. vault — a safe
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. perch — the fish
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. firm — steady
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. firm — a company
  15. object — a thing
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. object — to protest
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. firm — decided
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. season — in sport

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