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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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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: pit · branch · drill · toast · jam · nail · root · vault

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. pit — a hole
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — a division
  6. drill — the tool
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. pit — in a race
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. toast — bread
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. drill — army training
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. vault — a safe
  18. drill — a practice
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. root — the cause
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. root — of a word
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. root — of a plant

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