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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: branch · suit · tear · land · chair · content · object · vault

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — clothes
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. land — ground
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — a safe
  10. suit — to fit
  11. object — to protest
  12. tear — to rip
  13. object — a thing
  14. branch — a division
  15. land — to come down
  16. content — happy
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. content — the amount
  19. object — an aim
  20. land — a country
  21. tear — from crying
  22. chair — a leader
  23. tear — from crying
  24. chair — a professorship

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