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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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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: rock · wound · object · toast · vault · drill · firm · nail

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. drill — the tool
  4. rock — a stone
  5. vault — a safe
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. object — an aim
  9. firm — steady
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — to protest
  13. wound — an injury
  14. rock — music
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. firm — a company
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. firm — decided
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. wound — an injury
  22. drill — army training
  23. drill — a practice
  24. nail — for a hammer

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