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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: hand · present · bark · bank · vault · nail · bound · pound

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bank — for money
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. vault — a safe
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. present — the time now
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. bank — of a river
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. present — there
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. bank — for money
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. bound — tied together
  20. hand — in cards
  21. present — a gift
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bound — obliged
  24. hand — help

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