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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 120 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: stem · foot · mine · staff · mate · vault · bank · nail

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bank — for money
  3. mate — a friend
  4. mine — for digging
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bank — for money
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — a stick
  12. vault — a safe
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. mate — a partner
  19. bank — of a river
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. staff — employees
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mate — to breed
  24. foot — a measure

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