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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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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: stick · deal · calf · branch · mate · vault · leaves · rush

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mate — a friend
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. vault — a safe
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. rush — hurry
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. deal — to handle
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. branch — a division
  24. leaves — to go away

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