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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: vault · land · branch · suit · fork · tube · bulb · file

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bulb — for light
  3. branch — a division
  4. land — a country
  5. land — ground
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — to fit
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. vault — a safe
  11. tube — a container
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. file — a line of people
  14. land — to come down
  15. file — a tool
  16. tube — the underground
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bulb — for light
  22. file — a document
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — in a road

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