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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
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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: patient · march · spring · branch · stock · squash · safe · vault

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. spring — a coil
  5. march — the month
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. stock — shares
  8. march — the month
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. branch — a division
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. stock — goods
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. vault — a safe
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. squash — the sport
  20. spring — the season
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. squash — to crush
  23. spring — of water
  24. march — music

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