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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: nail · mate · bank · rush · vault · snap · staff · perch

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. staff — a stick
  3. bank — for money
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. staff — employees
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. staff — employees
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mate — a partner
  13. snap — to click
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bank — of a river
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. bank — for money
  19. mate — to breed
  20. perch — the fish
  21. rush — hurry
  22. vault — a safe
  23. mate — a friend
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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