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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: fork · scale · calf · vault · saw · branch · rock · pass

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. rock — a stone
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. scale — size or range
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. branch — a division
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. scale — in music
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. fork — in a road
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. rock — music
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. pass — a permit
  23. saw — the tool
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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