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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: fan · stick · kick · vault · branch · file · scale · last

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  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. kick — a thrill
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. scale — in music
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. file — a line of people
  8. last — finally
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. last — to go on
  11. vault — a safe
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. last — final
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. branch — a division
  17. file — a tool
  18. kick — in football
  19. scale — size or range
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. file — a document
  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