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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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Word bank
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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 · club · plane · press · branch · fork

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. press — to push
  3. press — a publisher
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. club — for dancing
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. press — newspapers
  9. fork — in a road
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. branch — a division
  13. vault — a safe
  14. club — for golf
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. club — a group

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