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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 · wake · branch · toast · mate · chip · rule · shower

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. rule — government
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. mate — to breed
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. branch — a division
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. shower — to wash
  12. rule — a law
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chip — to eat
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. mate — a partner
  19. toast — bread
  20. wake — a trail
  21. vault — a safe
  22. mate — a friend
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. shower — rain

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