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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 116 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: stand · nail · drill · vault · bay · prune

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. prune — to trim
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. stand — to bear
  9. drill — a practice
  10. prune — to trim
  11. vault — a safe
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — army training
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. nail — on a finger

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