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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: vault · rash · fan · firm · bound · branch · present · nail

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. firm — steady
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. bound — tied together
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. branch — a division
  8. present — a gift
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. firm — decided
  11. present — there
  12. present — the time now
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. rash — a series
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. firm — a company
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bound — certain
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. vault — a safe
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rash — hasty

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