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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: craft · racket · suit · bore · vault · branch · pop · rule

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bore — to tire
  4. vault — a safe
  5. rule — government
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. pop — to visit
  8. suit — to fit
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. craft — boats
  11. branch — a division
  12. craft — a skill
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. suit — clothes
  20. pop — soda
  21. bore — to drill
  22. pop — music
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. branch — of a tree

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