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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.

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: nail · key · vault · trunk · object · file · lean · squash

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. vault — a safe
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. object — to protest
  7. squash — to crush
  8. file — a document
  9. object — an aim
  10. file — a tool
  11. key — the most important part
  12. lean — to bend
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. file — a line of people
  16. squash — the sport
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. key — for a lock
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. object — a thing
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. key — in music
  24. trunk — of a car

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