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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: band · pound · vault · cap · last · branch · safe · suit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. band — a music group
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. band — a ring
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — to fit
  9. cap — a lid
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. vault — a safe
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. last — to go on
  14. cap — a hat
  15. cap — of ice
  16. last — finally
  17. last — final
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. branch — a division
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pound — a weight
  24. safe — a strongbox

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