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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: leaves · chip · dip · vault · bulb · wound · branch · stock

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. stock — goods
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. branch — a division
  10. bulb — for light
  11. chip — to eat
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wound — an injury
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. wound — an injury
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stock — shares
  22. chip — for betting
  23. vault — a safe
  24. leaves — of a tree

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