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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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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: squash · branch · stem · wound · bear · bound · rush · vault

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. branch — a division
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. wound — an injury
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. stem — to come from
  7. wound — an injury
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bound — obliged
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. bear — the animal
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. bound — certain
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. bound — tied together
  23. squash — the sport
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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