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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: can · vault · rest · lash · hand · spell · ground · nail

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hand — help
  4. can — to be able to
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. vault — a safe
  9. spell — a short time
  10. ground — crushed
  11. can — a tin
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. spell — letters
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. ground — the earth
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. can — a tin
  19. ground — a position
  20. rest — what's left
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. spell — magic
  24. rest — what's left

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