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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: field · fine · bulb · craft · calf · branch · sharp · vault

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. vault — a safe
  3. fine — all right
  4. field — farmland
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. sharp — clever
  8. field — a subject
  9. craft — boats
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. bulb — for light
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. field — for sport
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. craft — a skill
  19. branch — a division
  20. bulb — for light
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. craft — a handicraft

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