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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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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 · swing · ruler · branch · club · land · snap · key

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. branch — a division
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. swing — in golf
  5. swing — music
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. club — for golf
  8. snap — to click
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. land — ground
  14. vault — a safe
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. key — for a lock
  17. club — for dancing
  18. key — the most important part
  19. land — a country
  20. land — to come down
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. key — in music
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. club — a group

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