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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: wound · board · toast · ground · vault · nail · bark · bank

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. ground — crushed
  8. ground — a position
  9. bark — to shout
  10. board — a committee
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. ground — the earth
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. board — to get on
  17. vault — a safe
  18. bank — for money
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bank — for money
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. toast — bread

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