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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — a division
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. craft — boats
  7. date — the fruit
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. scale — size or range
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. vault — a safe
  14. craft — a skill
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. firm — a company
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — steady
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. scale — in music
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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