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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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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 · stand · land · swing · stem · branch · jam · club

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. vault — a safe
  4. swing — to play on
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. land — to come down
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. swing — music
  14. land — a country
  15. stem — to come from
  16. club — for golf
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. club — for dancing
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. land — ground
  22. stand — to bear
  23. swing — in golf
  24. club — a group

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