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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: vault · rest · suit · branch · ruler · chest

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. rest — a break
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. suit — in cards
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. rest — what's left
  9. chest — a box
  10. rest — what's left
  11. chest — of your body
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. branch — a division
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. chest — of your body
  16. suit — to fit
  17. vault — a safe
  18. ruler — for measuring

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