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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mouse · branch · vault · ruler · fan · ball · field · pit

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. branch — a division
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. field — farmland
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pit — in a race
  9. field — for sport
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. ball — a dance
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. vault — a safe
  22. field — a subject
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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