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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: rush · bank · branch · vault · stick · cell · spell · fork

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — letters
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — a division
  9. cell — in biology
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. bank — of a river
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. cell — a phone
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — for money
  20. vault — a safe
  21. fork — in a road
  22. spell — a short time
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. rush — hurry

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