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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: firm · spell · branch · clip · mouse · staff · tube · vault

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. spell — magic
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. tube — a container
  7. clip — to cut
  8. branch — a division
  9. spell — letters
  10. tube — the underground
  11. firm — steady
  12. clip — for paper
  13. vault — a safe
  14. staff — employees
  15. firm — decided
  16. staff — a stick
  17. staff — employees
  18. clip — a video
  19. firm — a company
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. spell — a short time
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. mouse — for a computer

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