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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: vault · lean · bat · branch · bore · stock · perch · can

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. can — a tin
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. can — to be able to
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. stock — goods
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. lean — thin
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. bore — to drill
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. branch — a division
  17. bore — to tire
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. can — a tin
  20. perch — the fish
  21. lean — to bend
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. vault — a safe
  24. stock — shares

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