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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.

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: nail · jam · dip · cue · rash · trunk · vault · date

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  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. nail — for a hammer
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. date — the fruit
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. cue — for pool
  12. rash — hasty
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. rash — a series
  17. cue — a hint
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. dip — to sink
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. cue — a signal
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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