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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: object · bore · rest · vault · craft · branch · lie · bulb

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  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 — an arched ceiling
  2. bore — to tire
  3. object — a thing
  4. rest — a break
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. object — to protest
  7. craft — a skill
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rest — what's left
  15. craft — boats
  16. vault — a safe
  17. object — an aim
  18. bulb — for light
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. branch — a division
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bulb — for light
  23. lie — to recline
  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