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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: perch · bay · vault · rest · bank · fork · branch · bulb

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. rest — a break
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. rest — what's left
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — for money
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. branch — a division
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bulb — for light
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. vault — a safe
  23. perch — the fish
  24. rest — what's left

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