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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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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 · drill · vault · calf · sharp · cap · straw · stock

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. drill — the tool
  3. branch — a division
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. sharp — clever
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. stock — shares
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. drill — a practice
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — of ice
  14. drill — army training
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. stock — goods
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. vault — a safe
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. straw — dry grass

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