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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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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: race · chip · branch · vault · perch · track · kid · key

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. kid — to tease
  5. race — the arms race
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. perch — the fish
  8. chip — for betting
  9. key — in music
  10. track — a path
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. race — a contest
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. kid — child
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. branch — a division
  18. track — a song
  19. vault — a safe
  20. track — to keep track
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — the most important part
  23. chip — to eat
  24. race — humankind

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