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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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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 · hand · bank · mine · nail · race · firm · stick

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bank — for money
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. mine — for digging
  9. race — the arms race
  10. vault — a safe
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. bank — of a river
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. hand — in cards
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. hand — help
  18. firm — steady
  19. race — a contest
  20. firm — decided
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. bank — for money
  24. race — humankind

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