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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.

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: saw · bank · hide · bark · branch · squash · vault · prune

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. squash — the sport
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bank — of a river
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bank — for money
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. saw — the tool
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. squash — to crush
  16. branch — a division
  17. bark — to shout
  18. saw — the tool
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. bank — for money
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — to keep secret

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