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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: spell · staff · vault · nail · race · branch · stick · firm

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. vault — a safe
  3. race — a contest
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. spell — magic
  6. staff — a stick
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. race — humankind
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. staff — employees
  12. spell — a short time
  13. firm — steady
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. firm — decided
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. race — the arms race
  20. spell — letters
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. firm — a company
  23. branch — a division
  24. staff — employees

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