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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: branch · deal · rest · vault · game · coach · bear · saw

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. game — wild animals
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. rest — what's left
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bear — the animal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. rest — a break
  17. saw — the tool
  18. branch — a division
  19. rest — what's left
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. bear — the animal
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. game — a match
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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