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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: cabinet · trunk · band · bay · net · branch · vault · leaves

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. vault — a safe
  3. band — a music group
  4. net — for catching
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. net — after costs
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. branch — a division
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. net — in sport
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. band — a ring
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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