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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: hide · vault · content · branch · spring · drill · spell · patient

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. spell — magic
  7. spring — a coil
  8. vault — a safe
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. content — the amount
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spring — the season
  14. drill — a practice
  15. branch — a division
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. spell — letters
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. content — happy
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. drill — army training
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. spring — of water

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