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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: vault · rock · row · nail · rush · board · snap · bulb

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. snap — to click
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. vault — a safe
  6. rock — a stone
  7. row — to paddle
  8. bulb — for light
  9. board — a committee
  10. bulb — for light
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. board — to get on
  13. row — a line
  14. rock — music
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. rush — hurry
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. bulb — 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