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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: bat · pit · board · bulb · branch · mouse · vault · mark

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. branch — a division
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. board — to get on
  10. bat — the animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. bulb — for light
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. pit — a hole
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mark — a grade
  23. board — a committee
  24. mark — a trace

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