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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: cap · nail · fan · rock · trunk · vault · rush · branch

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. cap — a lid
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. cap — a hat
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. cap — of ice
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. rock — music
  16. branch — a division
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. vault — a safe
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rush — hurry
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. rock — a stone

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