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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
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: vault · bass · band · charge · nail · craft · calf · branch

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bass — low music
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. charge — a price
  6. craft — a skill
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. band — a music group
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. craft — boats
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. vault — a safe
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. band — a ring
  20. bass — the fish
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. branch — a division
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — electricity

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