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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 116 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: clip · cabinet · wind · bulb · cap · mug · vault · branch

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. branch — a division
  5. mug — to rob
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bulb — for light
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bulb — for light
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cap — a lid
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. clip — to cut
  14. cap — a hat
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. vault — a safe
  18. clip — a video
  19. cap — of ice
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. mug — a face
  23. clip — for paper
  24. mug — a cup

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