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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. spell — a short time
  3. mate — to breed
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. vault — a safe
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. spell — letters
  9. mate — a friend
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. shower — rain
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bark — to shout
  14. spell — magic
  15. bank — for money
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bank — of a river
  18. branch — a division
  19. bank — for money
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. shower — to wash
  22. mate — a partner
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. safe — out of danger

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