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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: fine · bulb · wind · wave · cabinet · sharp · branch · vault

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. fine — high quality
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — a division
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. sharp — clever
  8. vault — a safe
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. fine — all right
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. wind — moving air
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. wind — moving air
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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