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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: present · rush · ground · nail · lean · sharp · key · vault

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. key — the most important part
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — thin
  8. sharp — clever
  9. ground — a position
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. ground — the earth
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. key — in music
  15. present — there
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — a safe
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. present — a gift
  21. key — for a lock
  22. present — the time now
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rush — hurry

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