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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · net · nail · sharp · press · branch · pit · fall

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. net — for catching
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. fall — the season
  5. fall — to drop
  6. press — newspapers
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. net — in sport
  11. press — a publisher
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pit — in a race
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. pit — a hole
  16. press — to push
  17. branch — a division
  18. vault — a safe
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. sharp — clever
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. net — after costs
  24. branch — of a bank

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