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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 120 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
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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: drill · vault · bound · branch · deal · pass · craft · land

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. land — ground
  3. deal — to handle
  4. land — a country
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. branch — a division
  8. drill — army training
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. drill — a practice
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bound — obliged
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. craft — a skill
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. bound — tied together
  19. pass — a permit
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. drill — the tool
  22. bound — certain
  23. craft — boats
  24. land — to come down

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