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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. branch — a division
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. prune — to trim
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. vault — a safe
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — a thing
  19. rush — hurry
  20. prune — to trim
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. fork — in a road

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