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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: vault · branch · spell · foot · bound · current · squash · board

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. spell — letters
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. foot — a measure
  6. current — electric
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. bound — certain
  11. board — a committee
  12. board — to get on
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. bound — tied together
  16. squash — to crush
  17. squash — the sport
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. vault — a safe
  20. current — happening now
  21. spell — magic
  22. branch — a division
  23. spell — a short time
  24. current — of water

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