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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: vault · degree · wake · coach · bear · roll · branch · nail

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. roll — a cake
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. roll — a list
  6. degree — from a university
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. degree — an amount
  12. degree — temperature
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. branch — a division
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bear — the animal
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. bear — the animal
  21. vault — a safe
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. wake — a trail
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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