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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.

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: vault · content · plane · nail · game · bulb · chair · bat

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. game — wild animals
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bulb — for light
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — happy
  16. bulb — for light
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bat — the animal
  20. game — a match
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. chair — a leader
  24. plane — an aircraft

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