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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: wake · mine · rule · vault · nail · fine · prune · rash

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. prune — to trim
  4. rule — government
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. prune — to trim
  7. mine — for digging
  8. vault — a safe
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. fine — high quality
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. wake — a trail
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. rash — hasty
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. fine — all right
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. rule — a law
  22. rash — a series
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. mine — belonging to me

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