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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: vault · straw · hide · arm · bulb · nail · temple · prune

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. bulb — for light
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. prune — to trim
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bulb — for light
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. prune — to trim
  23. vault — a safe
  24. bulb — of a plant

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