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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: sharp · chip · nail · clip · safe · fall · key · vault

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. key — in music
  3. chip — to eat
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. key — for a lock
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. key — the most important part
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. chip — for betting
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. clip — for paper
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. fall — the season
  17. fall — to drop
  18. vault — a safe
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. clip — a video
  21. sharp — clever
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. fall — to drop
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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