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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: vault · lean · charge · roll · deal · branch · toast · band

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  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. deal — to handle
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. vault — a safe
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. roll — a list
  6. charge — electricity
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. charge — a price
  9. lean — thin
  10. branch — a division
  11. charge — in control
  12. roll — a cake
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. lean — to bend
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. band — a ring
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. band — a music group
  23. toast — bread
  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