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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. content — the amount
  3. content — happy
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. fork — in a road
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. wake — a trail
  8. branch — a division
  9. staff — employees
  10. vault — a safe
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — a stick
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. bank — for money
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. bank — for money
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. scale — size or range
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. scale — in 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