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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: shower · press · wave · bank · lean · branch · vault · bound

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. vault — a safe
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. branch — a division
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bank — for money
  7. lean — thin
  8. press — a publisher
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. press — newspapers
  14. bank — of a river
  15. press — to push
  16. shower — rain
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. lean — to bend
  20. bound — certain
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bank — for money
  24. shower — to wash

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