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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: dip · cabinet · pitch · wake · nail · fine · vault · hand

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  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. hand — in cards
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. dip — to sink
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. fine — high quality
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. pitch — completely
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. fine — all right
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. hand — help
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. vault — a safe
  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