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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.

Make a worksheet

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: branch · board · lash · mine · pitcher · cabinet · file · vault

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. board — to get on
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. board — a committee
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. vault — a safe
  8. branch — a division
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. file — a line of people
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. file — a tool
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. file — a document
  24. mine — for digging

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