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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: sharp · rule · roll · lash · file · vault · bore · branch

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. file — a document
  4. branch — a division
  5. bore — to tire
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. file — a tool
  13. bore — to drill
  14. roll — a list
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. rule — a law
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. vault — a safe
  21. file — a line of people
  22. sharp — clever
  23. rule — government
  24. roll — a cake

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