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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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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: root · sharp · land · bank · branch · fall · vault · cabinet

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — to drop
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. root — of a plant
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bank — for money
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bank — of a river
  9. land — to come down
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. vault — a safe
  12. land — ground
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. root — of a word
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. fall — the season
  18. root — the cause
  19. land — a country
  20. branch — a division
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. bank — for money

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