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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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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: snap · content · kick · bear · vault · nail · saw · fine

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. fine — all right
  5. saw — the tool
  6. content — the amount
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. fine — high quality
  9. snap — to click
  10. kick — in football
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. saw — the tool
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bear — the animal
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. content — happy
  18. vault — a safe
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. bear — the animal
  24. nail — on a finger

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