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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 116 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: staff · craft · mouse · drill · fine · kick · deal · vault

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. staff — employees
  4. drill — a practice
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. staff — employees
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. fine — high quality
  12. kick — in football
  13. staff — a stick
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. deal — to handle
  16. fine — all right
  17. drill — the tool
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. drill — army training
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. vault — a safe

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