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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: chest · vault · nail · spell · cabinet · branch · ruler · file

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. spell — magic
  5. chest — a box
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. file — a tool
  10. file — a document
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. vault — a safe
  13. chest — of your body
  14. spell — letters
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. branch — a division
  20. file — a line of people
  21. chest — of your body
  22. spell — a short time
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. nail — on a finger

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