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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: vault · temple · bay · can · pop · bass · craft · branch

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. bass — low music
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. branch — a division
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. pop — music
  7. pop — to visit
  8. can — a tin
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bass — the fish
  17. craft — boats
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. pop — soda
  23. can — a tin
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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