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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 · capital · rush · straw · bank · foot · row · vault

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bank — of a river
  3. row — to paddle
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bank — for money
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. vault — a safe
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. row — a line
  13. capital — a city
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. bank — for money
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. foot — a measure
  19. branch — a division
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. capital — money

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