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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.

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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: nail · mate · firm · trunk · pitcher · hand · can · vault

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. can — to be able to
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. mate — to breed
  6. hand — in cards
  7. firm — a company
  8. vault — a safe
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. mate — a friend
  12. firm — steady
  13. mate — a partner
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. firm — decided
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. can — a tin
  18. hand — help
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. can — a tin
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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