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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: tube · branch · vault · leaves · fork · chip · bank · bark

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bank — for money
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. bark — to shout
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. tube — a container
  10. bank — of a river
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. bank — for money
  13. chip — for betting
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. tube — the underground
  24. branch — a division

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