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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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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: craft · vault · pop · lean · track · nail · rock · foot

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. track — a path
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pop — music
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. lean — to bend
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. lean — thin
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. vault — a safe
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. rock — music
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a song
  18. pop — to visit
  19. foot — a measure
  20. rock — a stone
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. craft — a skill
  23. pop — soda
  24. craft — boats

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