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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: mate · bat · bank · vault · nail · key · lash · file

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. file — a tool
  4. key — for a lock
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bank — of a river
  8. file — a line of people
  9. bank — for money
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. file — a document
  16. bat — the animal
  17. key — in music
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. mate — a friend
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bank — for money
  22. vault — a safe
  23. mate — to breed
  24. key — the most important part

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