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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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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: ground · bulb · straw · drill · can · fine · vault · branch

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  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. branch — of a tree
  2. ground — the earth
  3. bulb — for light
  4. fine — high quality
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. ground — crushed
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. vault — a safe
  11. ground — a position
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. fine — all right
  14. can — to be able to
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. branch — a division
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. can — a tin
  19. drill — army training
  20. drill — the tool
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. drill — a practice
  23. can — a tin
  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