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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: fork · mine · bass · leaves · fan · vault · branch · calf

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. branch — a division
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bass — low music
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. fork — in a road
  24. mine — for digging

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