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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: toast · ball · vault · mouse · prune · kick · fall · branch

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. prune — to trim
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. kick — in football
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. ball — a great time
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. vault — a safe
  14. prune — to trim
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. fall — the season
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. toast — bread
  20. fall — to drop
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. branch — a division
  23. fall — to drop
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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