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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: branch · vault · mine · bark · cap · pitcher · rash · can

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. branch — a division
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. vault — a safe
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. can — a tin
  9. cap — of ice
  10. rash — a series
  11. mine — for digging
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. rash — hasty
  14. cap — a hat
  15. cap — a lid
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. can — a tin
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. can — to be able to
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. branch — of a tree

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