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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.

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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: branch · present · mug · last · vault · spell · fork · cap

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. spell — magic
  3. mug — a face
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. mug — a cup
  7. present — the time now
  8. mug — to rob
  9. last — finally
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. cap — a hat
  12. present — there
  13. last — final
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fork — in a road
  16. spell — a short time
  17. vault — a safe
  18. present — a gift
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cap — a lid
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. spell — letters
  24. branch — a division

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