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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: toast · vault · bear · pound · prune · chip · branch · staff

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — for betting
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. prune — to trim
  5. toast — bread
  6. bear — the animal
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. vault — a safe
  9. staff — a stick
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. chip — to eat
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. staff — employees
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. prune — to trim
  16. staff — employees
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bear — the animal
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. pound — a weight
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. bear — to put up with

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