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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 120 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: branch · rush · nail · arm · prune · vault · drill · bass

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bass — low music
  4. drill — the tool
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bass — the fish
  9. prune — to trim
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. drill — army training
  12. branch — a division
  13. prune — to trim
  14. drill — a practice
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — a safe
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. arm — part of the body

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