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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 116 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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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: vault · current · bowl · coach · branch · present · race · wave

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. current — electric
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. current — happening now
  5. race — the arms race
  6. current — of water
  7. race — humankind
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. race — a contest
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. present — there
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. branch — a division
  20. vault — a safe
  21. present — a gift
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. present — the time now
  24. branch — of a bank

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