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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: track · vault · branch · capital · fine · trunk · wave · perch

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. fine — all right
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. capital — money
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. perch — the fish
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. track — a path
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a song
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. branch — a division
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. capital — a city
  22. fine — high quality
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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