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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. can — a tin
  3. drill — the tool
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. branch — a division
  6. vault — a safe
  7. drill — army training
  8. drill — a practice
  9. bank — of a river
  10. capital — a city
  11. pop — soda
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. can — to be able to
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. bank — for money
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. capital — money
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bank — for money
  20. pop — to visit
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. can — a tin
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. pop — music

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