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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: nail · snap · jam · charge · sharp · hide · vault · degree

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  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. sharp — with an edge
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. vault — a safe
  5. charge — electricity
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. sharp — clever
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. degree — from a university
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. charge — a price
  14. degree — temperature
  15. charge — in control
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. snap — to click
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. degree — an amount
  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