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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 112 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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468
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: club · vault · nail · racket · plane · suit · clip · bass

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. plane — a tool
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. clip — for paper
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bass — low music
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. club — for golf
  9. bass — the fish
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. clip — a video
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. clip — to cut
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — in cards
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. vault — a safe
  21. club — for dancing
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. club — a group

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