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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: spell · vault · content · hand · toast · branch · bay · stock

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. hand — in cards
  4. spell — a short time
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. stock — shares
  8. spell — letters
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. vault — a safe
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. branch — a division
  16. stock — goods
  17. hand — help
  18. toast — bread
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. spell — magic
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. content — happy
  23. content — the amount
  24. content — videos and posts

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