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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: mug · vault · cold · rush · bay · fork · squash · nail

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. cold — an illness
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. mug — a face
  9. mug — a cup
  10. rush — hurry
  11. mug — to rob
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. cold — not warm
  15. fork — in a road
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. vault — a safe
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. squash — the sport
  24. squash — to crush

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