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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: court · stick · bank · snap · bay · nail · vault · board

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bank — of a river
  3. snap — to click
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. court — of law
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. court — of a king
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. court — for sport
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. vault — a safe
  18. bank — for money
  19. board — a committee
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bank — for money
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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