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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: nail · race · current · bank · vault · band · cue · mug

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — a contest
  3. mug — a face
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. cue — a hint
  6. bank — for money
  7. mug — to rob
  8. current — of water
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. current — happening now
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. cue — a signal
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. vault — a safe
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bank — for money
  18. current — electric
  19. race — the arms race
  20. cue — for pool
  21. band — a music group
  22. bank — of a river
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. band — a ring

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