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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: deal · club · trunk · branch · plane · cell · vault · fan

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. vault — a safe
  3. cell — in biology
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. club — for golf
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. plane — a tool
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. club — for dancing
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. cell — a phone
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. club — a group
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  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