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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: vault · can · branch · stock · root · rash · fall · cell

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. root — of a plant
  3. stock — goods
  4. rash — hasty
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. vault — a safe
  7. fall — the season
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. can — a tin
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. cell — a phone
  13. fall — to drop
  14. can — to be able to
  15. fall — to drop
  16. rash — a series
  17. stock — shares
  18. root — of a word
  19. root — the cause
  20. branch — a division
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. cell — in biology
  23. can — a tin
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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