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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 116 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: pitcher · branch · degree · land · lean · bat · vault · bay

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. degree — from a university
  7. bat — the animal
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. degree — an amount
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. lean — thin
  14. branch — a division
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. vault — a safe
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. degree — temperature
  20. lean — to bend
  21. land — a country
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. land — to come down
  24. land — ground

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