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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: spring · deal · temple · vault · mug · kick · date · nail

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. vault — a safe
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. kick — in football
  6. deal — to handle
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. mug — a face
  14. date — the fruit
  15. mug — to rob
  16. spring — the season
  17. mug — a cup
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. spring — of water
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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