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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: bowl · craft · arm · band · lash · vault · branch · firm

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. band — a music group
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. craft — boats
  5. branch — a division
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. band — a ring
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. firm — steady
  10. vault — a safe
  11. firm — decided
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. band — a rubber band

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