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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: vault · bear · fine · craft · toast · land · rule · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. rule — a law
  3. rule — government
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. fine — high quality
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. craft — a skill
  9. land — to come down
  10. fine — all right
  11. toast — bread
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. land — a country
  18. land — ground
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. vault — a safe
  23. craft — boats
  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