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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. snap — to click
  3. pound — a weight
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. spell — magic
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. spell — letters
  16. deal — to handle
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. object — to protest
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. spell — a short time
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. vault — a safe
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — an aim

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