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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 · lean · bowl · jam · fork · vault · stock · calf

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. branch — a division
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. stock — shares
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lean — thin
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. fork — in a road
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. vault — a safe
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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