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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
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: fall · march · court · suit · calf · spell · vault · branch

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. vault — a safe
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. suit — to fit
  7. court — of a king
  8. fall — to drop
  9. march — the month
  10. suit — clothes
  11. spell — letters
  12. court — of law
  13. fall — to drop
  14. spell — a short time
  15. spell — magic
  16. court — for sport
  17. march — music
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. suit — in cards
  21. march — the month
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. branch — a division
  24. fall — the season

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