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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 120 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: cue · plane · bound · branch · vault · pitcher · can · club

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. plane — a tool
  3. cue — a signal
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — tied together
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. vault — a safe
  11. can — a tin
  12. club — a group
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. club — for golf
  15. can — to be able to
  16. club — for dancing
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bound — certain
  20. cue — for pool
  21. branch — a division
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. can — a tin

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