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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: court · deal · fine · kick · bulb · branch · vault · bay

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. court — of a king
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. branch — a division
  9. court — of law
  10. court — for sport
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. vault — a safe
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. fine — all right
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. fine — high quality
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. kick — in football

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