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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: stick · branch · scale · pound · dip · vault · racket · rule

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. rule — government
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. vault — a safe
  8. pound — a weight
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. scale — in music
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. dip — to sink
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. scale — size or range
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. rule — a law
  24. pound — to hit hard

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