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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 120 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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. bound — tied together
  6. branch — a division
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. key — in music
  10. file — a tool
  11. file — a document
  12. ground — a position
  13. file — a line of people
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. ground — the earth
  16. bound — obliged
  17. vault — a safe
  18. ground — crushed
  19. bank — for money
  20. key — the most important part
  21. bound — certain
  22. key — for a lock
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — the tool

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