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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 116 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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. vault — a safe
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. root — of a word
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. craft — boats
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. craft — a skill
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bulb — for light
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. branch — a division
  20. root — of a plant
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. root — the cause
  24. craft — a handicraft

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