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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: suit · branch · drill · cell · hand · vault · stock · object

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. vault — a safe
  3. drill — the tool
  4. cell — a phone
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. hand — in cards
  7. cell — in biology
  8. suit — clothes
  9. object — a thing
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. hand — help
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. drill — a practice
  17. branch — a division
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. stock — shares
  20. object — an aim
  21. drill — army training
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. stock — goods
  24. object — to protest

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