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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 120 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: object · vault · spring · wound · chip · prune · bear · branch

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. spring — the season
  3. vault — a safe
  4. prune — to trim
  5. object — a thing
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bear — the animal
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. wound — an injury
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. chip — to eat
  13. wound — an injury
  14. spring — of water
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. spring — a coil
  18. branch — a division
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bear — the animal
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — to protest
  24. chip — for betting

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