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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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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: game · nail · vault · fork · bulb · ball · sharp · staff

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. sharp — clever
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. staff — a stick
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — employees
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. vault — a safe
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. game — a match
  20. fork — in a road
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. game — wild animals
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. bulb — for light

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