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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: last · vault · lie · leaves · branch · object · content · fan

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. object — a thing
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — a division
  13. last — final
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. object — to protest
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. last — finally
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. object — an aim
  21. content — the amount
  22. content — happy
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. last — to go on

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