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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: chip · rush · vault · nail · chair · trunk · branch · kid

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. chair — a leader
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. vault — a safe
  7. branch — a division
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. rush — hurry
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. kid — to tease
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. kid — child
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. chip — to eat
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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