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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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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: bore · can · cell · branch · ball · vault

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. can — to be able to
  3. cell — a phone
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. branch — a division
  6. ball — a great time
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. can — a tin
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bore — to drill
  11. can — a tin
  12. bore — to tire
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. ball — a dance
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. cell — in biology

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