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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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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: bank · cue · branch · mug · vault · swing · land · net

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. mug — a cup
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. land — a country
  5. land — to come down
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. land — ground
  9. cue — a signal
  10. net — for catching
  11. bank — of a river
  12. swing — to play on
  13. swing — in golf
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bank — for money
  16. mug — to rob
  17. swing — music
  18. bank — for money
  19. mug — a face
  20. net — after costs
  21. vault — a safe
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. net — in sport
  24. branch — a division

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