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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: vault · bark · object · branch · bank · date · mug · ball

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bank — of a river
  4. object — to protest
  5. object — a thing
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bank — for money
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. mug — to rob
  11. object — an aim
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. bark — to shout
  16. mug — a face
  17. date — the fruit
  18. branch — a division
  19. mug — a cup
  20. vault — a safe
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. bank — for money
  23. ball — a dance
  24. date — on the calendar

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