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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.

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: branch · board · rock · squash · present · vault · wax · prune

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. prune — to trim
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. squash — to crush
  7. present — the time now
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. wax — to grow
  11. present — there
  12. squash — the sport
  13. rock — a stone
  14. vault — a safe
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — to get on
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. present — a gift
  22. rock — music
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. branch — a division

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