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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
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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: degree · vault · fan · staff · suit · branch · bark · tube

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. vault — a safe
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. staff — a stick
  7. degree — from a university
  8. staff — employees
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. tube — a container
  11. bark — to shout
  12. suit — in cards
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. degree — temperature
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. degree — an amount
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. tube — the underground
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. branch — a division
  23. staff — employees
  24. fan — a supporter

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