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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · fall · fork · chip · spell · bound · game · vault

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. fall — to drop
  3. spell — letters
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. game — a match
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bound — tied together
  9. spell — magic
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. chip — for betting
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. vault — a safe
  14. game — wild animals
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bound — certain
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fall — the season
  22. bound — obliged
  23. branch — a division
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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