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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: vault · branch · stock · nail · key · stand · race · stem

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. stock — goods
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. branch — a division
  5. vault — a safe
  6. stock — shares
  7. race — a contest
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. stand — to bear
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. race — humankind
  14. key — for a lock
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. race — the arms race
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. key — in music
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. key — the most important part

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