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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 116 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: bank · branch · stand · last · band · vault · row · leaves

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. row — a line
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. last — to go on
  8. bank — for money
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. bank — of a river
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. last — final
  15. row — to paddle
  16. vault — a safe
  17. stand — to bear
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bank — for money
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. last — finally
  22. branch — a division
  23. band — a ring
  24. row — a quarrel

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