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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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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: roll · bound · vault · trunk · pound · fine · nail · ball

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bound — certain
  3. ball — a great time
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bound — obliged
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. bound — tied together
  16. pound — a weight
  17. roll — a list
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. fine — high quality
  20. ball — a dance
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. roll — a cake
  24. fine — all right

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