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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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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: race · lean · cabinet · vault · branch · bank · fork · court

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. race — a contest
  5. fork — in a road
  6. court — of law
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. branch — a division
  9. bank — for money
  10. court — of a king
  11. bank — for money
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. race — humankind
  14. race — the arms race
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. court — for sport
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. lean — to bend
  22. lean — thin
  23. vault — a safe
  24. fork — a garden tool

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