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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 · cell · nail · sharp · drill · vault · content · toast

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. drill — the tool
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. cell — a phone
  9. can — a tin
  10. content — the amount
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. cell — in biology
  13. vault — a safe
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. toast — bread
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. can — to be able to
  18. sharp — clever
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. content — happy
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. can — a tin
  23. drill — a practice
  24. nail — for a hammer

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