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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: branch · suit · squash · vault · row · court · fan · tear

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. squash — the sport
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. squash — to crush
  6. suit — to fit
  7. row — a line
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. tear — to rip
  10. court — for sport
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. vault — a safe
  13. row — to paddle
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. tear — from crying
  17. court — of a king
  18. branch — a division
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. suit — clothes
  22. court — of law
  23. suit — in cards
  24. fan — a supporter

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