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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: net · vault · snap · bank · lie · present · nail · track

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. present — there
  3. bank — for money
  4. track — to keep track
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bank — for money
  7. net — after costs
  8. vault — a safe
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. snap — to click
  15. present — the time now
  16. lie — to recline
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. track — a path
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. present — a gift
  22. net — for catching
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. net — in sport

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