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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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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: last · branch · cap · prune · vault · bank · mine · nail

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. last — finally
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bank — for money
  9. prune — to trim
  10. cap — of ice
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — of a river
  13. vault — a safe
  14. branch — a division
  15. last — final
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. last — to go on
  18. prune — to trim
  19. cap — a hat
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. mine — for digging
  23. cap — a lid
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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