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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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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 · craft · toast · cold · vault · suit · cabinet · wave

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. suit — in cards
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. cold — an illness
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. vault — a safe
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. craft — a skill
  12. craft — boats
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. suit — to fit
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. cold — not warm
  17. suit — clothes
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. toast — bread
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. craft — a handicraft

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