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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bear · vault · plane · band · can · leaves · branch · wave

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. can — to be able to
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. can — a tin
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. band — a music group
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. can — a tin
  14. bear — the animal
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. band — a ring
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bear — the animal
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. vault — a safe
  23. branch — a division
  24. band — a rubber band

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