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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: craft · face · foot · last · vault · swing · fall · branch

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. last — finally
  3. swing — music
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. face — part of the head
  7. face — to confront
  8. fall — to drop
  9. swing — to play on
  10. fall — to drop
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a skill
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. fall — the season
  15. last — to go on
  16. vault — a safe
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. last — final
  19. face — to point toward
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. foot — a measure
  23. branch — a division
  24. swing — in golf

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