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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: can · bay · press · content · vault · branch · rock · fine

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. content — the amount
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. rock — a stone
  7. press — to push
  8. rock — music
  9. can — a tin
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. vault — a safe
  16. branch — a division
  17. press — a publisher
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. can — a tin
  20. press — newspapers
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — high quality
  23. can — to be able to
  24. rock — to move gently

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