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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: tube · bear · vault · bat · leaves · branch · nail · key

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  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. leaves — to go away
  2. tube — the underground
  3. tube — a container
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. key — for a lock
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bat — the animal
  8. vault — a safe
  9. key — in music
  10. bear — the animal
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. branch — a division
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bear — the animal
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. branch — of a tree
  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