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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. vault — a safe
  3. tube — the underground
  4. net — for catching
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bat — the animal
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. suit — to fit
  12. net — in sport
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. branch — a division
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. tube — a container
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. suit — in cards
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. net — after costs

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