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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: key · last · hand · vault · bank · sharp · tube · bore

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. sharp — clever
  3. bank — for money
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. hand — help
  7. tube — the underground
  8. vault — a safe
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. last — to go on
  11. key — in music
  12. tube — a container
  13. last — final
  14. bore — to tire
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. key — the most important part
  17. hand — in cards
  18. bore — to drill
  19. last — finally
  20. key — for a lock
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. bank — of a river

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